Teknisk Wereld: Judgment
by Celtic Guardian 7
Summary: Seven years later, everyone from the group has finally returned. But just as they do so, problems with the world itself arrive. Who is behind all of this? COMPLETE
1. Return

**Prologue**

It is the year 2107, and Teknisk Wereld is still as popular as ever. Although it has undergone some changes, it is still similar to what it had been left as.

In 2100, Hope Gales, Rue Klaus, Max Driger, Will Brown, Brandi Driger, Miles Salum, Draken Drayfall, Fell Luna, Larka Luna, and Zackary Wright were sentenced to be banished from Teknisk Wereld and be unable to contact one another until becoming twenty years old. Although they all felt much sorrow at this separation, they agreed to the conditions and left.

Throughout the years, members of the group have been returning to Teknisk Wereld to try and reunite with each other. Fell is the sole exception to this, for he remained with Sarius Tirran to go to other worlds.

Everyone else has finally come back, except for one: Hope Gales.

**Chapter 1: Return**

The clock said fifteen minutes to nine. It had only moved five minutes forward since she had last looked at it. Hope was really wishing she had a rock to throw at that mocking clock right then. Since that was not an option though, she turned her head back to her teacher, who was going over some of the mistakes they had made with the papers they had turned in yesterday.

Hope had certainly changed in the past seven years. She had grown a significant amount taller, and was slightly better when it came to athletics. Her dark brown hair had grown to about her waist, even though she continued to keep it in a ponytail. Her eyes were still the vivid blue they had always been. Today she was wearing a short-sleeved sky-blue shirt with blue jeans and black tennis shoes. Around her neck was the orb she still wore. People often gave it odd looks when it changed colors from white to black and back again, but Hope always assured them that it was a trick of the light.

She looked up at the clock again. Ten minutes to nine.

Today was the day she had been waiting seven long years for. It was finally her twentieth birthday, which meant that right after this class, she would be able to return to Teknisk Wereld at last. This was her only class, and since it was Friday, she would have nearly three days to catch up with her friends… if she could find them.

Hope had often wondered how they were doing now, especially Max. It had taken all of her willpower to make it this long without going crazy from the seclusion. She had made up for it mainly by throwing herself into her studies. As she had gone through school, she had decided that she wanted to have the career of being an author. She had already written some of the adventures she and her friends had had in Teknisk Wereld for practice, but she was nowhere near finishing. Now she was in her second year of college.

Five minutes to nine. She felt her anticipation rise at the time. Then she suddenly heard her teacher say, "Pass up your folders now. Paola, be sure to actually give them back this time; we would not appreciate it if you stole them again."

The class laughed, as did Paola, despite the fact that she was trying to protest to the statement at the same time. It had become a joke once she had accidentally kept the folders that had been passed to the front of her row and taken them to her dormitory. That had caused some hectic searching before her row had finally gotten them back.

Hope passed hers up, feeling rather pleased with the score she had gotten on her latest paper, a comparison. She was also happy that her teacher had apparently decided to end class early. There was a less chance of being called out for staring into space that way. Normally, Hope loved her writing class and paid complete attention to it, but this was just too important of a day for her to do so now.

Students had begun to get up and talk to each other when four people made their way over to Hope. She smiled as they came up to her.

"Happy Birthday!" Julia said to her enthusiastically, handing her an envelope and a small, wrapped gift. Julia looked similar to how she had many years back, with light brown shoulder-length hair and her soft blue eyes. She still wore the small pearl around her neck, and had on her favorite green shirt on that day along with her standard blue jeans.

"Thanks," Hope replied, accepting the items. "Are these from all of you?"

"We just decided to wrap them into the same box," Josh explained. He had matured into a handsome young man with short brown hair to complement his dark brown eyes and tanned skin. Now he wore a dark blue t-shirt, with several white dots on it that made it look like the night sky, and blue jeans of his own.

"Cow chewed up almost all of the wrapping paper we had," Samuel said, rolling his eyes. His black hair had grown a bit longer but was still rather short. His light brown skin and brown eyes were unchanged, but his outfit was now black jeans and a bright orange t-shirt with a phrase written on it in blue that said, 'I may be a blundering fool, but at least I am good at it.' Hope had no idea where he had gotten that shirt, and she did not think she wanted to know either.

"It wasn't his fault!" Toan said. His black hair had remained as short as usual, and his browned skin and brown eyes were of course the same as always. Now he had a white shirt with one of the Chik-fil-a cows that had the standard sign saying, 'Eat Mor Chikin' to go along with blue jeans. It was another thing Hope didn't ask about.

"I don't mind at all," Hope assured. "Thanks a lot, all of you."

"Not a problem!" Julia said with a smile. "But I assume you're eager to get to Teknisk Wereld and will probably wait until later to open it."

"What?" Hope flushed slightly at that. "Of course not!"

"I was just kidding," Julia said. "But I think you'll enjoy what's in there more if you look before leaving."

"Sure then." Hope carefully set the card and present into her bag before zipping it up.

"So, no homework for you?" Josh assumed.

"Nope! I made sure to finish them all ahead of time," Hope answered.

"Unlike Samuel, who is a great procrastinator," Toan commented, taking revenge for what he had said about Cow.

"Hey! I am not a procrastinator!" Samuel protested.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about the shirt," Toan laughed. Then he ran off towards the door with Samuel chasing him.

"…We'd better go after them," Julia said with a sigh as she slung her bag over her shoulder. "Samuel's going to get himself killed from running around like this one of these days." It was common knowledge that the two of them were still going out, which was promising considering how long that had been.

"I'm going straight to my dorm," Hope stated as she also picked up her bag. "I'll catch up with you guys when the weekend's over."

"You're not even coming out to eat?" Julia asked.

"I might, but it probably won't be for long if I even do," Hope said. "Don't worry too much about it. I've been in Teknisk Wereld for longer periods of time and come through fine food-wise."

"All right then. Just don't kill yourself," Julia warned.

"Have fun," Josh said.

"Thanks again!" Hope went quickly to the door, and just as she reached it, the bell rang. Hope instantly threw open the door and ran out. She bolted through the halls and out of the building. Many of the students on campus stopped speaking with each other to turn and stare as she went by them in a blur, but she didn't notice.

Hope arrived at her dormitory shortly and slowed down a bit, halting in front of her door and opening it. She walked in to see Gaston sitting in the chair he had been in when she had left, eyeing the clock with a raised eyebrow. "That's a new record."

"Can you blame me?" Hope said as she put her bag onto her bed. She had been lucky when it came to roommates, since she had ended up with Julia. They were both pretty easy-going when it came to space as long as they took care of their own things and kept the room relatively neat.

"No, I guess not," Gaston answered, getting up. Unlike their human companions, Soul Monsters never changed appearance-wise when it came to age, so Gaston looked exactly the same as he always had. Their personality could change over time, but Gaston's had not. He had been one of the other reasons Hope had been able to tolerate the long wait, and she was grateful for him.

"I have something I want to do quickly, and then we can go," Hope said as she brought out the envelope and tore it open, revealing a card that had a picture of a crumpled, torn piece of paper on the front. On it were the words, 'We wanted to give this card to someone we cared deeply about…' She looked inside, and saw, '…so of course you weren't our first choice, but there aren't many better candidates. Happy Birthday!' with their names and their Soul Monsters' names signed underneath it. Hope couldn't help but laugh.

"They're being as nice as ever," Gaston commented as he looked over her shoulder to see what she had.

"Yeah." Hope put the card aside and unwrapped the gift slowly, keeping the wrapping paper in one neat piece instead of shredding it apart. A small, white box was revealed. She opened it to see a note. She picked it up and read it, recognizing Julia's neat handwriting.

_We meant to give you these sooner, but after what happened, you seemed to lose interest in Duel Monsters. As a result, we waited until today. In order from top to bottom, they are from me, Samuel, Toan, and Josh. Happy Birthday from all of us! _Their names were once more signed underneath it, along with a tear that looked suspiciously like it had come from canine teeth.

Hope looked back at the box to see the back of a Duel Monster card. Upon lifting them, she found four. The one from Julia was a monster called The Magnificent Infiltrator. Samuel had provided another monster named Big-Shield Guarder. Toan's was the magic card Dragon-Slaying Sword. Josh had supplied the trap Assault Preparations.

"Not bad," Gaston said as she read the effects of each card.

"I didn't have any of these, and they're all useful," Hope said as she went to where her Duel Disk was lying. She slid the four cards onto the top of her deck, looking at her Life Point counter for at least the tenth time that day. The lack of the red dot on the screen still lifted her spirits as much as when she had seen it this morning.

"So, are you ready now?" Gaston asked, looking pretty eager to get going himself.

"More than ever!" Hope lay down in her bed put on the Duel Disk and Envoyant Machine, her hands slightly shaking as she did so. Then, for the first time in what seemed to be eternity, she pressed the button on it. Darkness engulfed her.

…

"Hey, Hope, you all right?" she heard Gaston say.

Hope opened her eyes to find herself sprawled out on the dark, emerald grass of the forest. "What happened?"

"You were out of it for a moment. It's probably because you aren't as used to teleporting here as you were before," Gaston explained. "You had this problem the first few times you entered, remember? It'll probably go away even sooner than before."

"I hope so. That's the one part of Teknisk Wereld that I can't say I enjoy," Hope commented as she sat up. She grew silent as she saw the familiar trees surrounding her, recognizing the area to be where she had appeared in Teknisk Wereld for the first time seven years ago.

"Happy to be here?" Gaston said.

"I'm still having a hard time believing it," Hope replied. "We're finally back…"

"Hopefully to stay," Gaston stated as he took her arm and pulled her up. "Shall we head to the town? We might be able to get some information on where everyone else is."

"Yes, let's do that," Hope agreed as she began to walk out of the clearing. She could remember the way to the town fairly accurately from where they were.

After several minutes of walking in comfortable silence, they emerged from the trees to see that they were on the shore of the lake. But instead of it being empty, as they were used to, they saw a Skull Red Pirate Ship with someone standing on the dock a few feet away from them.

"Wow, we finally see someone else here," Hope said in surprise.

The man heard her speak and turned to her. He was very short, to the point that he could almost be described as a dwarf, and had a long beard to go with the image. A black, ragged eyepatch covered his left eye. "Of course we'd be here, lass! We're about to go sailing once more. What else would you expect from me, the great pirate Brottor Khanchuckit!"

Hope blinked a few times. "Pirate?"

"Aye, one of the best," the man said. "Well, that might be because there are hardly any in Teknisk Wereld, but that's beside the point! We're about to set off once more, but before we can go, I need a baked potato! Would you go get me one?"

Hope and Gaston exchanged confused looks, but before either could say anything, another man came running off the ship. He had a bizarre outfit that looked like silver armor, along with a helmet. "Brottor, we need to get going quickly…"

"Ah, Claude Deschain, my matey!" Brottor greeted him. "Is it ready?"

"Yes, so let's leave now," Claude said as he grabbed Brottor's arm and dragged him towards the ship.

"What's the hurry for? Do you want to burn down yet another village?" Brottor said as they went onto deck.

"That last time was an accident! Really!" they heard Claude protest before they went out of earshot.

"…I pray that not everyone in Teknisk Wereld is like that," Hope said bleakly.

"That is fortunately doubtful," Gaston replied. "Let's go on."

"Please." They turned and went back up the slope, going towards the town.

As the town came into sight, Hope noticed that between the town and the route to the canyons, there was a big, round building that had no roof.

"What is that thing? It looks almost like a coliseum…" Hope trailed off as she indicated to it.

"Maybe that's what it is," Gaston suggested.

"Really? So people and Soul Monsters could fight each other? That would be incredible to watch…" Hope said.

"With safe guards in Teknisk Wereld, I don't see why not," Gaston stated. "It would probably be pretty popular. Should we look into it?"

"Yeah, but later. I want to see the town first," Hope said.

Gaston nodded. "Fine by me."

They continued towards it, but nothing eventful happened until they entered the streets. Due to school and work, there were not many people, but a decent amount was still present. They passed by several small groups of people and soon found the card shop.

The shop was empty, except for Hector, who had been looking through a binder of cards on the counter in front of him. He looked up, and after a moment of surprise, he grinned widely. "Hope, Gaston! It's great to finally see you two again!"

"You too," Hope said as they went up. "I guess that means we're all back."

"Yep, according to Rue," Hector replied.

"You've seen him?" Hope asked.

"I've met up with everyone again, except for Miles," Hector said. "I have no idea where he's been; try asking one of your friends. Anyway, do you want me to tell you where they are?"

"If you know," Gaston answered.

"Nobody has come in today, but it's still pretty early," Hector stated. "How about I give them a location to meet you at?"

"That round building… is it a coliseum?" Hope inquired.

"Good guess! That's a relatively new feature added to Teknisk Wereld," Hector told her. "For a while, no developments were being made to Teknisk Wereld whatsoever. People were getting annoyed with the lack of updates, so the creator himself programmed the coliseum a few years ago. It sure calmed them down quickly! Ever since the first day, it's been a huge success."

"I'm interested in it," Hope said. "We'll go to check that out. If anyone comes in, please tell them we'll be there."

"Of course I will! Oh, before you go…" Hector flipped to a page in his binder and slid out a card, handing it to Hope. "Think of this as a welcome-back present. Or a birthday present. Whichever you want to call it."

"Female Warrior of the Wilderness…" Hope read out loud before looking back up as she slid it away. "Thanks Hector! I'm sure this will be a big help."

"No problem. Good luck in meeting up with the rest of your group," Hector said.

"Thanks again. We'll see you later!" Hope said as they left the shop.

"I wonder why Miles has been the only one who hasn't seen Hector yet," Gaston remarked as they went down the street.

"That is kind of odd. Hopefully, Rue or Draken will know," Hope said. "Out of everyone, I'd think they would be most aware of where he is."

As she said this, she began to turn a corner. Since she had been not looking forward, she collided straight into someone else, sending them both to the ground with yelps.

"Hey! What's the big idea?" the girl said in an undignified tone as she stood up with a frown. She looked to be about thirteen and had on a dark blue t-shirt and a black shorts, along with black running shoes. Her hair, dyed bright pink, went below her shoulders. Her blue eyes looked almost familiar to Hope for a moment, but she didn't think much about it at the moment.

"I'm sorry," Hope apologized, rising. "I should have watched where I was going."

"Yeah, but I probably should have too," the girl admitted, looking over at the Soul Monster next to her. She was a woman with a short-sleeved white shirt and a white skirt that left her midriff exposed, along with much else of her tanned skin. On her arms were gold bracelets, with one large, tight, matching hoop near the top of each leg. A white, cloth bonnet of sorts, secured by a gold circlet, kept her wild yellow hair down, where it fell to her waist. Purple feathers produced from the ends of the cloth, which matched the color of her fierce eyes.

"You aren't blaming me for this one," the woman said as she noticed the girl's glance.

"I wasn't, Petra, really!" The girl shook her head, and then looked back at Hope. "I've just been walking around town for a bit while talking about things with her."

"What about school?" Hope asked.

"We have a day off for teachers to do things," the girl said happily. "So I had enough free time to come here." She turned her gaze to Hope's Duel Disk. "Are you a good duelist?"

"Well… kind of. But I haven't played for a long time," Hope replied.

"Then how about we duel? It sounds like you could use a warm-up," the girl suggested.

Hope glanced at Gaston, who just shrugged, showing that he didn't mind one way or the other. She turned back to the girl. "Sure, we have time for that."

"Great! Let's get right to it then!" the girl declared, turning on her Duel Disk. Hope did the same, trying to get used to the menu once more.

Hope: 8000

Girl: 8000

"Who should go first?" Hope asked.

The girl held out her hand. "Rock, paper, scissors?"

"All right," Hope agreed before bringing out paper. The girl had chosen scissors.

"I'll have you go first," the girl said.

"Ok. I lay one monster face down and a card. That's all," Hope said.

"I'll summon Amazoness Paladin," the girl stated as a monster identical to Petra appeared. (1700/300) "Her attack is raised by 100 for every monster on the field that has Amazoness in her name." (1800/300)

"You're running an Amazoness deck?" Hope asked, a bit alarmed. She could still remember that Rue had once faced against one with disastrous results.

"Yep. Seems like you've encountered them before," the girl said. "I lay one card down and play a permanent magic card, United Army! It raises my Warrior Sub-types by 200 for each Warrior or Magic Sub-Type on my field." (2000/300)

"Are you going to attack?" Hope inquired.

"No, I'm done," the girl decided.

"In that case, I'll summon Goblin Strike Team. (2300/0) They attack your Amazoness Paladin," Hope said.

"In response, I activate my trap card, Amazoness Phalanx!" the girl countered.

"What does that do?" Hope asked.

"I can only activate it if I have a monster with Amazoness in her name on the field, but when I do, it causes all of your monsters to change to face up attack mode, and it reduces their attack by 500," the girl explained. "No reverse effects are activated when this happens. Also, you're forced to attack with every monster you have while doing so."

"What? Then that means I'm in a horrible position!" Hope exclaimed as she flipped over her Mystic Swordsman Lv 2. (400/0) (1800/0) Her monsters ran towards the Amazoness Paladin, only to be cut apart with ease.

Hope: 6200

Girl: 8000

"I'd say you are," the girl replied. "Going to do anything else?"

"No," Hope answered, looking at her hand.

"I summon Amazoness Swordswoman. (1500/1600) She counts towards my Amazoness Paladin's and United Army's effects. (2300/300) (1900/1600) Amazoness Paladin attacks directly!" the girl declared.

"I'll counter by activating Cry of the Living Dead!" Hope said. "I special summon Goblin Strike Team from my Cemetery in attack mode!"

"I'll still attack it with Amazoness Paladin to kill both," the girl said. (1700/1600) "My Amazoness Swordswoman will attack directly."

It had been a long time since Hope had been directly attacked by a hologram. She instinctively flinched as the sword came down, going right through her.

Hope: 4500

Girl: 8000

"It's your turn now," the girl told her.

"Ok," Hope said, drawing. "Hm… I summon Troop Commander. (1200/400) Since he was normal summoned successfully, I can special summon Initiate Troops from my hand. (1000/1000) I'll use my Initiate Troops' effect to sacrifice them so I can kill one of your monsters. Amazoness Swordswoman dies as a result. Then I equip Troop Commander with The Fused Sword, Masamune Blade. (2000/400) He attacks directly! I end my turn after that."

Hope: 4500

Girl: 6000

"This is an annoying predicament," the girl said. "I think I'm going to have to do this… I summon Amazoness Martial Artist. (1700/1300) Then I equip her with Divine Blade-Phoenix Blade! When equipped to a warrior, it raises his or her attack by 300. (2000/1300) I'll attack your Troop Commander with Amazoness Martial Artist, killing both! That's all for me."

"I'll take advantage of your empty field to summon Blade Knight," (1600/1000) Hope said. "Then I lay down a card. Since I have one card in my hand, Blade Knight's attack is raised by 400. (2000/1000) He attacks directly, and then I'm done."

Hope: 4500

Girl: 4000

"It's time to get serious," the girl stated. "I play a magic card, Warrior's Return, to take Amazoness Paladin from my Cemetery and put her into my hand. Then I'll use Phoenix Blade's effect. When it is in the Cemetery on my standby phase, I can remove two Warrior Sub-types from my Cemetery to return it to my hand. I'll remove Amazoness Swordswoman and Amazoness Martial Artist to do so. Then I summon Amazoness Paladin and equip her with Phoenix Blade. (2300/300) She attacks your Blade Knight!"

Hope: 4200

Girl: 4000

"I lay a card down and end my turn," the girl concluded.

"I'll activate my face down card, Theft!" Hope said. "I equip it to Amazoness Paladin!"

"No way am I going to let you get away with that!" the girl retorted. "I'll use my trap card, Quick Save! It can be activated when one of my monsters named Amazoness is targeted with a card. I return her to my hand and special summon another monster from my hand. I'll bring out Amazoness Archer!" (1600/1000)

"Ack… in that case, I lay one monster in defense mode. That's all for me," Hope stated.

"I'll summon my Amazoness Paladin again," the girl said. (2300/300) (1800/1000) "Amazoness Paladin attacks your face down monster."

"You've run into my Retrained Elven Swordsman. (1400/1200) He can't be destroyed in battle by a monster with 1900 or higher attack," Hope said.

"Big deal," the girl said with a shrug. "I'll attack him with Amazoness Archer and end my turn."

"I lay another monster in defense mode and end my turn," Hope stated.

"I summon another Amazoness Martial Artist," the girl decided. (2100/1300) (2500/300) (2000/1000) "Amazoness Paladin attacks your defense monster."

"It was my Command Knight…" Hope said as her monster got sliced through.

"Amazoness Martial Artist and Amazoness Archer attack directly!" the girl declared.

Hope: 100

Girl: 4000

"Don't think you're off the hook just yet!" the girl said as Hope glanced at her Life Point counter. "I'm going to activate my Amazoness Archer's special ability! By sacrificing two monsters, such as my Amazoness Paladin and Amazoness Martial Artist, you take 1200 Life Point damage!"

Hope: 0

Girl: 4000

"I was careless…" Hope said as she shut off her Duel Disk regretfully.

"You did well, considering how long it has been," Gaston stated.

"Well, I've seen worse," the girl told her as she did the same. "Then again, you said you had seen them be played before. Who have you seen use Amazoness cards?"

"Someone I knew a while ago… her name is Chasity," Hope said.

The girl's eyes widened. "What? But… that's who I am! How do you know my name?"

"You're Chasity?" Hope looked over her with disbelief.

"I thought I recognized the eyes for some reason," Gaston commented.

"Me too, but everything else threw me off," Hope said. "You used to look almost identical to Brandi, so…"

"You know my sister too? Who are you?" Chasity asked.

"Hope, and my Soul Monster is Gaston," Hope answered.

"Hope? You're Hope? Oh my God!" Chasity said, slapping herself over the forehead. "You've changed too!"

"Yet you didn't remember what I looked like?" Gaston inquired.

"It's been a long time, and I was just a kid back then," Chasity said.

"Technically, you still are," Petra remarked.

"Thanks for reminding me," Chasity sighed. "Boy, do I feel embarrassed now… I should have known it was you after you commented about the lack of dueling. Max told me you were coming back today, after all."

"Do you know where he is?" Hope asked, finally brightening up a bit after the loss she had been handed.

"What, Max? Yeah, I should… wait… oh shoot!" Chasity suddenly exclaimed.

"What's wrong?" Hope asked.

"I was supposed to meet him at the coliseum to help him with a fight!" Chasity groaned. "He's going to kill me for being late! Petra, why didn't you remind me?"

"You can't depend on me forever," Petra stated.

"More like I can never depend on you for matters like that," Chasity said. "But seriously, we'd better get over there, and fast! Follow me!" She took off running, and the other three went after her.

They didn't run into any incidents on the way out of town, although they saw a group of people standing in a circle on the way out. Hope managed to hear a person on the outskirts of it say, "Build an opera house in Teknisk Wereld? Only Erik Daae would think of something as ludicrous as that…" as they went out.

The trip over to the building was eventless as well. Only one person was standing outside, a man with a wolf-like Soul Monster that Hope recognized as Silver Fang.

"You're too late," the man commented as they went up to the door he stood by. "The most recent match ended. We missed it too, thanks to Kaizier."

The wolf promptly mule-kicked him in the groin, causing the man to fall over with a yelp of pain. "Ignore Telicis, he's an idiot. It just concluded a few minutes ago, so if you want to see another match, it should start shortly."

"Thanks, but that's not why we're here," Hope said, eyeing the man and wolf warily before going inside. The others did as well.

"Where did all of these crazy people come from?" Chasity complained. "While we've gotten some good duelists recently, we've also found a whole new batch of morons."

"As long as the unholy trio of Caleb, Ifrit, and Buster Blader is not here, I think we will live," Gaston muttered, causing Hope to laugh.

"What do you mean by that?" Chasity thought for a moment, and then shook her head. "Actually, I don't want to know."

"Where are we going?" Hope asked as Chasity lead them through the dark hall.

"To the locker rooms. Since the match ended, I assume that's where Max will be," Chasity answered as they came to a door to their left. "Ah, here we go." She opened it and went inside with Petra. Hope followed shortly, feeling slightly nervous yet eager, and Gaston came after her.

Despite her confusion with his younger sister, Hope recognized Max almost instantly as he faced Chasity. He now wore a gray long-sleeved shirt and blue jeans, along with black boots, but he still had his father's blue vest on. His dark brown hair was shorter, and his lighter brown eyes seemed more weary than Hope could recall. He looked very pale, almost to the point of being ill, but she still knew him on sight. That was an improvement.

"Chasity, where the hell were you?" Max snarled as he took out his Duel Disk from one of the lockers lining the room. "I had to go against both of them by myself, and thanks to that, I only barely won! As it was, I'm lucky to even be alive right now!"

"I'm sorry!" Chasity said, looking away sheepishly. "I just… kinda forgot…"

"You forgot? That's the last time I reserve a match for both of us at the same time," Max growled as he slid a few magic cards into a compartment on the Duel Disk. Hope saw that they were Red Potions; apparently, he had already healed his wounds.

"Hey, at least something good came out of it," Chasity said. "I found your girlfriend, didn't I?"

"What?" Max turned to the door to see Hope and Gaston standing there. "…Hope? Is that really you?"

Hope could only nod in response.

For a moment, they remained where they were, staring at each other. Then Hope went forward swiftly, embracing him. That brought Max out of his daze, and he returned it.

"God, it's been so long…" Max said, his voice quavering. "I could barely stand the wait… it was like I was dying inside…"

"It's over though," Hope said, looking up at him. "We can make up that lost time, starting now."

They would have probably remained that way for a long time, but Chasity remarked, "This is the girl you've been crying in bed over for years? She couldn't even beat me in a duel."

"You did not need to mention that," Max growled as he released his grasp on Hope and went towards Chasity. "Besides, don't you have homework to do?"

"But I have today off!" Chasity complained, even though she knew she wasn't about to win. Whenever she annoyed Max, he was able to use the dreaded homework to put her back in line.

"You still have to do it," Max stated. "Take care of it now so you can have the rest of the weekend free."

Chasity sighed. "Fine. I guess I'll see you later, Hope." Then she left, Petra following.

"So… how is Tenma doing?" Gaston inquired.

"Fine. He always goes back to his Soul Card after fighting since he won't fit though this door," Max explained.

"What about your family?" Hope asked.

"You saw how Chasity is. Dad's completely alive again and doing well, and as a result, Mom's doing better," Max said. "She has needed the support though, especially since…" He trailed off for a moment, his eyes darkening. "Ender's permanently crippled from what happened before."

"Oh… I'm sorry to hear that…" Hope said sadly, not knowing what else she could provide.

"Thanks… but there isn't much we can do about it," Max sighed. "As for Brandi…"

At that moment, the door burst open, and a young woman ran in, throwing herself onto Max. "Max! Hi!"

For a moment, Hope was confused and a little jealous, but then she recognized the blonde hair and blue eyes as the girl released Max, who looked a bit embarrassed by the show of affection. Even what she wore gave away who she was. Her top was the same one Hope had gotten her on her birthday, and she had on a familiar khaki skirt. The white high-heeled sandals were new, but Hope recognized the ankle bracelet she had gotten from Matt.

"Brandi?" Hope asked.

Brandi turned to Hope in surprise. "Hope?"

"Yes," Hope said.

"Welcome back!" Brandi said happily. "How did you find your way here?"

"Chasity brought us here after some identity confusion," Gaston answered.

Brandi laughed at that. "I bet her new appearance surprised you. People were always confusing the two of us, and that really annoyed her. So she made herself look vividly different from me."

"That explains," Hope said. "What about you? Why did you come here?"

"I was watching the match," Brandi explained. "Max fights here often. In fact, he's one of, if not the, best fighter here."

"Really?" Hope asked.

"Yep! He needed something to take his mind off things, so he began to come here once it was made," Brandi said. "Now he's very skilled at it!"

Max seemed awkward about what Brandi was saying, so Hope said, "It looks like you're doing well."

"I am," Brandi replied. "So is everyone else. Want to go see some of them?"

"Definitely!" Hope said.

"…Before we go, can I have a few moments here?" Max asked. "I need to say something to Hope alone."

"Of course," Brandi answered, going outside of the room. Gaston went after her.

Hope waited until she was sure Brandi was gone before she said, "She seems to have recovered from what happened."

Max slowly shook his head. "It took a long time. Matt remained with her constantly, and dad helped too. When Larka returned, she finally seemed to return to her old self. But we can't mention Mana, or else it launches her into depression. The same thing goes for the Black Magician Girl card. Please don't say anything about it with her around."

"All right," Hope agreed. "Was there something else you wanted?"

"Yeah…" Max reached into the locker and brought out a small, wrapped gift that he held out to her. "I regret not being able to get you anything until now, but it is your birthday today, so…"

"Thank you!" Hope said, accepting it. She carefully removed the wrapping paper, revealing a black, velvet jewelry box. Hope opened it to reveal a gold clip with small, emerald green designs on it.

"I didn't know if you still wore your hair back in a ponytail, but I thought that if you did… well… you could use that…" Max said, looking embarrassed again.

"It's excellent, thanks!" Hope instantly pulled off the ponytail holder she had been using and replaced it with the clip.

"No problem," Max said with a note of relief in his voice. "That was all I wanted. Let's find everyone else now."

They went outside and found Brandi and Gaston waiting a short distance away. The four of them headed out of the entrance, where nobody was in sight, and began to walk across the field.

"Where are we going first?" Gaston asked.

"Zack and Larka said they would be by the lake, away from the forest," Brandi answered. "Since they should still be there, it'd be easiest to find them first."

"That sounds good," Hope said.

"Did you really lose to Chasity?" Max asked.

"Afraid so," Hope admitted.

"That's nothing to be ashamed about. She's a good duelist," Brandi said.

"And you haven't dueled in about seven years," Gaston reminded her.

"What? All seven years? You must be completely out of shape!" Brandi exclaimed.

"Yeah… I need more practice," Hope agreed.

"How about facing Max then?" Brandi suggested. "You've never faced each other except for dire situations anyway."

Hope thought for a moment, and then asked Max, "Do you mind?"

"Not at all." Max took out his Soul Card, and Tenma emerged, gazing down at them.

"I am pleased to see you once more, mistress," Tenma said.

"Um… same here," Hope replied as she activated her Duel Disk again.

"This should be good to watch," Brandi said as she stood off to the side.

"So, we're both ready? Then it's time to start," Max said as he drew.

…

"There is still no suspicious activity, Captain," Helmer said to Captain Lapis Roman, who was currently sitting at her desk.

"Still? It's been seven years," Lapis said.

"I know. If a move will be made, it will be done soon," Helmer stated.

"Without evidence, there isn't much we can do but wait, and hope that our worries are incorrect," Lapis sighed.

To be continued…


	2. Reacquainting

I wanted to post this arc on the first day of the New Year. Happy New Year everyone!

Apparently, I can't post responses to reviews anymore. If I can find another way to remark on them, I will. Until then, know that I'm reading and treasuring every one I get!

**Chapter 2: Reacquainting**

Hope: 8000

Max: 8000

"Who should go first?" Max inquired.

Hope looked over at Brandi. "Could you pick a number between one and ten?"

"Sure… ok, I have one," Brandi said.

"Seven," Hope guessed.

Max shrugged. "Six."

"It was three, so Max goes first," Brandi stated.

"Fine. I summon Deathcalibur Knight (1900/1800) and lay a card face down. It is your turn," Max said.

Hope thought for a moment, and then said, "I'll summon Troop Commander. (1200/400) You should know what his effect is."

"That's why I won't let you use it," Max stated. "My Deathcalibur Knight's effect is activated. By sacrificing him, your monster's effect is negated and the monster is destroyed."

"What?" Hope watched in disbelief as the Deathcalibur Knight threw his sword at Troop Commander, he and his horse turning into dark energy that surrounded it as he did so. The pulsing sword plunged into the Troop Commander, causing it to vanish instantly. As Hope saw that, she remembered that Max had seen her duel many times, and would accordingly know how to counter many of her plays. His playing style might have altered over time though, so she wouldn't have that same advantage. She could tell this was going to be a rough duel for her.

"Are you going to do anything else?" Max asked.

"Oh, um, yes…" Hope managed to say. "I'll just put one card down before ending."

"I place one monster in defense mode and another card," Max said.

"I'll summon Surprising Matasa," Hope stated. (1300/800)

"In response, I activate my trap card, Ambush," Max retorted. "I'll special summon Giant Orc." (2200/0)

"I'm still going to attack your defense monster," Hope said.

"You've destroyed my Mimic of Darkness Lv 1. (100/1000) His reverse effect lets me draw a card." Max did so. "If you're done, I'll start my turn by activating my other trap card, Deck Destruction Virus of Magic."

"What does that do?" Hope asked.

"It's a pretty brutal card," Brandi said from the sidelines. "He has to sacrifice a Dark Main-Type with over 2000 attack to activate it. It destroys all monsters on your field and in your hand with 1500 attack or less. For the next three turns, you have to show the cards you draw, and if they have 1500 attack or less, they're destroyed as well."

"So it's like Deck Destruction Virus of Death, but much worse for my type of deck…" Hope said tensely.

"Yeah. I sacrifice Giant Orc for the cost," Max said. "Your Surprising Matasa is destroyed. Then I need to see your hand."

Hope showed him it. "I lose Mystic Swordsman Lv 2 and Initiate Troops." Besides those, she has Mystic Swordsman Lv 6 and Calling Reinforcements in her hand.

"Ok. I will now summon Goblin Elite Force," Max stated. (2200/1500)

"Those are new," Hope remarked.

"I have a specific reason for using them, but it won't apply here. They attack directly. Then I discard End of Anubis from my hand for Tenma's Deck Master ability. Goblin Elite Force attacks again, doing half the battle damage they normally would," Max said. "They have to switch to defense mode at the end of the battle phase though. Once that has happened, I end my turn."

Hope: 4700

Max: 8000

Hope slowly drew her next card. "…It's Emissary of Harmony. I lay it face down and end my turn."

"I summon Demon Soldier," (1900/1500) Max said.

"In response, I activate Tidal Wave!" Hope countered. "Your Demon Soldier and Goblin Elite Force are destroyed."

"I'm not very concerned," Max stated. "I play Early Burial to special summon End of Anubis. (2500/0)

Hope: 4700

Max: 7200

"He attacks directly."

"I'll stop him with Emissary of Harmony," Hope said.

"All right. It's your turn," Max concluded.

"I draw… Command Knight…" Hope said regretfully as she slid it into her Cemetery. "I play Calling Reinforcements for Twilight Zone Female Warrior and lay her in defense mode. I'm done."

"I summon Dweller of Darkness Shadow Killer. (1400/200) Since you have only defense monsters on the field, he can attack directly, so I will have him do that," Max said. "I end my turn after that."

Hope: 3300

Max: 7200

"I draw Goblin Strike Team," Hope said in relief. "I summon them and attack Shadow Killer. They go to defense mode afterwards. That's it."

Hope: 3300

Max: 6300

"I summon Newt (1900/400) and attack your Twilight Zone Female Warrior with him," Max stated.

"I'll use her effect to remove both," Hope said.

"Fine. End of Anubis destroys your Goblin Strike Team. I'll discard Rebirth of the Dead to attack you directly with him. Then I'm done," Max finished.

Hope: 2050

Max: 6300

"Deck Destruction Virus of Magic is gone now, right?" Hope asked.

"It should be," Gaston said.

"Well, it won't matter this turn anyway," Hope stated. "I activate Cyclone to destroy Early Burial, which takes End of Anubis along with it. I have nothing else to do."

"Hm… this will require a change of plans. I lay a monster in defense mode," Max said.

"I summon Retrained Elven Swordsman (1400/1200) and attack your monster," Hope declared.

"You've destroyed Mimic of Darkness Lv 3. (1000/1000) Since he was slain in battle, I draw a card," Max informed her.

"All right. I'm done," Hope said.

"I place another defense monster and a card down," Max stated.

As Hope drew, Max said, "I'm going to activate my trap card, Menacing Roar. None of your monsters can attack this turn."

"Fine. I lay a card down," Hope said.

"I flip summon a second Newt, raising his stats by 500. (2400/900) Then I sacrifice him for Great Demon Gaazetto." (4800/0)

"I activate Curse of Darkness on him," Hope stated. (4100/0)

Max shrugged. "Go ahead."

"I play Hammer Shoot to destroy Gaazetto," Hope said. "Then Retrained Elven Swordsman attacks directly! I cannot do anything else."

Hope: 2050

Max: 4900

Max looked at his card and shook his head. "I only have one way around this… I'll bring out Tenma." His Soul Monster stepped out obediently. (2500/0) "He attacks your Retrained Elven Swordsman."

Tenma savagely tore into the Retrained Elven Swordsman, but he remained standing due to his effect.

Hope: 950

Max: 4900

"You didn't have any other monsters?" Hope asked.

"No, I got a bad draw," Max stated.

"I'll switch Retrained Elven Swordsman to defense mode and end my turn," Hope said, looking at her hand nervously.

"…I pass," Max sighed, shaking his head at what he had drawn.

Hope's was much better. "I play Jar of Greed, to draw two more cards," Hope stated as she did so. "…And with this, I think I've won." She showed Gaston her hand. "You want to?"

"Sure, why not?" Gaston went onto the field. (1400/1200)

"I'll play Warrior Returns for Command Knight, and summon her. She raises all of my Warrior Sub-Types attacks by 400. (1600/1900) (1800/1200) (1800/1200) Then I equip Gaston with The Fused Sword, Murasame Blade, to raise his attack by another 800! (2600/1200) Gaston attacks Tenma!"

With his old and new blades, Gaston leapt forward, cleaving into Tenma. He fell back with a snarl, collapsing off the battle field.

Hope: 950

Max: Deck Master Defeated

"Damn, I played that badly," Max stated as he shut off his Duel Disk.

"I honestly can't believe I won, especially after what happened with Chasity," Hope said, finally relaxing.

"It looks like you're starting to slack, Max," Brandi commented as she went over to them.

"I just slipped up near the end," Max said with a shrug. "And Hope managed to recover from the position I'd put her in."

"At least this means I haven't lost all of my dueling skills," Hope said.

By this time, Tenma had gotten back up and seemed in fine condition. Seeing this, Brandi said, "Well, shall we continue on?"

"I think we're ready now," Gaston agreed.

As they began heading towards the lake shore again, Hope said, "Hector said he had seen everyone but Miles. Where has he been?"

Brandi sighed. "We don't know. He should have been here before you, but none of us have been contacted by him or been able to find him."

"Did something happen to him?" Hope asked worriedly. "Last time he secluded himself… things did not turn out well…"

"Yeah, but that might not be the case this time," Brandi said. "Honestly, there's no telling. Until we have a lead, or he shows himself, or luck plays out in our favor, we won't have any idea on where he is."

"I guess you're right," Hope admitted. Then she said, still to Brandi, "So what have you been up to for the past few years?"

"Hm… well… I'd say the largest thing for me has been my gymnastics career," Brandi replied.

"Gymnastics?" Gaston said.

"Yes. It's been a childhood dream of mine, to take gymnastics, and I finally have been able to," Brandi answered. "My dad paid for lessons, and although I started at an older age than most, I still became pretty good at it. After practicing for some time, I was actually invited into the American Olympic team in 2104."

"Whoa! Really?" Hope said in awe.

"Yep. I managed to help us win a gold medal in the team competition, another one in floor exercise, and a silver medal in balance beam and vault," Brandi said with a hint of pride in her voice. "Once I had done that, I began teaching other students in my own school, and that's what I'm still doing today."

"Sounds like you've had a fun time," Gaston commented.

"I'd say so," Brandi agreed.

By this time, they were approaching the slope to the lake shore at a different angle from where Hope and Gaston had previously been. As they did, a sudden, high-pitched, excited yelp tore through the air. Before Hope could react, a brown blur of fur went speeding up the slope and slammed into her, barking happily as he eagerly continued to jump at her.

"Malon!" Hope said, trying to get over her shock from the abrupt greeting as she picked him up. "Talk about a welcoming party…"

Malon wagged his tail with his tongue hanging out of his mouth as he gave her an innocent look.

"That must mean they're around here somewhere…" Hope said as she put Malon down.

"Hope!" Before Hope could react, Larka came running over to her, giving her a friendly embrace. "Oh, it's so good to see you again!"

"Larka!" Hope said in shock when they separated. "Your appearance… you haven't changed at all!"

Larka laughed at that, but what Hope had said was true. She looked as though she had not aged a day from when they had last seen each other. She still wore a white short-sleeved shirt, white pants, and matching shoes, but they looked much better made than her previous ones. Her silver hair fell to the exact same location as before, and her yellow eyes shone vividly against her pale skin.

"No, I haven't," Larka answered. "It seems to be another side effect from what Viken has done. From what I know of it, I won't age any more physically, but I'll still eventually die of old age. It's kind of hard to explain."

"That's all right, I think I understand," Hope said. "Where is Zack?"

"Here," she heard him say as he came over the slope. "I just took my time coming."

Like Larka, there was no change in Zack's appearance either, although that did not surprise Hope as much. The machine parts he had seemed unchanged, and he wore similar navy blue and gray clothes to the ones he had had before. His short blonde hair was unaltered as well, causing his blue eyes to still stand out.

"It's great to see you too," Hope said.

"Same here," Zack replied. "Although I almost didn't recognize you at first."

"I had the completely opposite reaction," Hope remarked. "Both of you seem identical to when we parted."

"I sometimes call them the eternally youthful couple," Max commented. "It's hard to not envy them at times."

Hope laughed softly as Larka turned a bit red while Zack just shook his head. She had to admit that Max had a point though. Both of her friends seemed much happier than they had ever been when she had known them. Spending four years together had obviously had a beneficial effect on both.

"So, how is Fell doing?" Hope asked Larka.

"Well," Larka replied. "He's still training to grasp onto the powers he has. According to Sarius, Fell is an omnihuman. That's why he wanted Fell to come with him."

"An omnihuman?" Hope said, her voice reflecting her amazement.

"Yes. But he isn't very strong yet due to his lack of training," Larka said. "He'll continue to get more powerful though. And while he was there… he finally seemed at peace. I'm glad he can feel that way at last."

"You miss him though," Hope noted.

"That is true," Larka admitted. "He is better off where he is now though, and I am happier with knowing that then I would be if he was still here. Besides, he still comes to visit. It is not like we can never see each other again."

Malon gave a small whimper, his tail drooping. It seemed obvious that he deeply missed Daine. Trying to get them off that depressing subject, Hope said, "How about Sarius and everyone else?"

"They're also doing fine," Larka answered. "Maybe you and Hope will be able to see them when they come by."

"What about the second Limiter?" Gaston inquired. "Sarius said he wanted to look for him when they returned here, right?"

"Oh, right, I need to tell you about that!" Larka said. "Before going to Teknisk Wereld, we went to the real world and returned to the location where we had originally found Julian. But when we got there, the house was completely deserted."

"Nobody was there?" Hope said.

"Yeah. Sarius got inside and looked around, but it was completely deserted," Larka said. "We helped him look. But what we found… it was…" Larka shivered as she recalled the scene. "In the basement of the house, there were old bloodstains. I don't know how they got there, but that could mean that Julian and his family are… well…"

"…Possibly dead?" Gaston said grimly.

"Possibly, although I hope that isn't the case," Larka said sadly. "I liked Julian from what I saw of him… even if I didn't get to talk with him for very long, I don't want to think of him as dead."

"We have thought of other possibilities as well, but none of them are very plausible," Zack stated. "There was the possibility that they moved, but the bloodstains make that unlikely. Another problem is that, apparently, the house had everything it normally would."

"You mean like possessions?" Hope asked.

Larka nodded. "Yes. But everything was covered in dust. Whatever happened occurred a while ago."

"There is also something that Will told me when he returned to Teknisk Wereld," Zack said.

"Will? What did he say?" Hope inquired.

"He had seen visions of things that had occurred during the trials, the fight with Despair, and when the officials were carrying out our sentences," Zack explained. "But according to him, he also saw another the first year he was banned. It was of a boy that was lying in snow. What was disturbing to him was that he thought the boy looked similar to Julian."

"And that means… things really don't look good when it comes to him being alive," Gaston said with regret.

"I'm afraid so," Larka sighed. "But I'm not going to give up on him yet. Will's vision might mean he also got away from whatever happened. Either way, Sarius concluded that the Limiter's powers might have shifted to another person, which means he would have to spend a long time looking for that new person. Since this world is in no danger of being taken by Juno, he decided he'd continue to look whenever Fell wanted to come here but not go out of his way to do it."

"That makes sense," Hope said. "So, what else have you two been doing?"

"Shortly after we were banned, I was approached by Captain Roman again and offered a job," Zack stated.

"You mean the woman who was in charge of the group that found us?" Hope asked.

"Yes," Zack confirmed. "She said I would have trouble acquiring one elsewhere, which was in truth one of my greatest worries. They also helped me acquire a place to live, which I am grateful for as well. I was hoping to be able to have enough money to support Larka along with myself by the time she returned."

"And he did," Larka said with a smile. "I was surprised to find out what he had accomplished while I was gone. When I came back, the officials said I could work for them as well."

"What do you two do?" Gaston inquired.

"I am an expert in mechanical matters," Zack stated. "Becoming a cyborg made my expertise in that field even greater. I have not learned enough to do anything beyond intermediate skills though. Teknisk Wereld is easily the most complex technological thing I have seen, so it is taking a long time to get used to it. I can also work as an enforcer due to being above average in fighting."

"I work more as an enforcer. My skills help me there, even though I dislike fighting. Luckily, there hasn't been a reason for me to do anything of the sort yet," Larka said. "Due to that, I have to check sections of Teknisk Wereld at certain times. I've gotten used to it by now, so it doesn't take as much time as it did at first."

"That's good to hear," Hope said. "How are you both doing when it comes to dueling?"

"We're improving," Larka replied. "Zack had more time to practice while I was gone, and he taught me some things when I returned."

"Want to demonstrate for Hope and Gaston?" Brandi asked.

"Who would be dueling, me or Zack?" Larka inquired.

"Both of you. Try dueling each other," Brandi said with a grin.

Zack and Larka blinked, and then looked at each other awkwardly.

"But… we've never… dueled each other…" Larka stammered.

"So why not do it now?" Brandi pointed out.

"Well…" Zack just shook his head, not knowing what to say.

"Exactly. It's not like the loser's going to hate the winner or something," Brandi said. "Go ahead and do it."

Neither Zack or Larka could really think of a response to that, so after another moment of hesitation, they stepped apart and faced each other.

Zack: 8000

Larka: 8000

"Um… you can go first, if you wish to," Zack said.

"Oh, no, I don't mind either way," Larka replied. "Do you want to?"

"I also lack a preference, go ahead," Zack stated.

"But I don't want to decide…" Larka said.

Brandi slapped her hand against her forehead. "Geez, you two can't even make a decision on who goes first. Fine, I'll choose a number between one and ten… again."

"Again?" Larka asked.

"Max and Hope dueled a short time ago," Brandi explained. "Hope barely won."

"Oh, I see… three," Larka said.

"Five," Zack decided.

"It was actually three exact," Brandi told them. "Larka goes first."

"Um… all right… I lay a monster in defense mode and end my turn…" Larka said.

"Hm… I also place a monster," Zack stated.

"I'll set another monster and be done…" Larka decided.

"I will do the same," Zack said as he put it on his Duel Disk.

By this time, the onlookers were a bit disturbed by the lackluster performance of both players. Hope and Gaston looked over at Brandi, who shrugged helplessly. Malon gave a small whine.

"…Um… er… another defense monster…" Larka stammered.

"I… act likewise," Zack muttered.

"Ah… I… I'll put a fourth one down…" Larka said hesitatingly.

"I do so as well…" Zack stated.

"I… guess I will… play another…" Larka trailed off as she set it.

"And I… mimic that… to completely fill the field…" Zack said.

"Then… um… I'll pass…" Larka said after a moment of thought.

"…As will I…" Zack stated.

Larka slowly drew her next card. Before she could say anything though, Brandi suddenly exclaimed, "For the love of God, start attacking each other! You're not actually going to hurt each other you know! There's nothing wrong with trying to win a duel!"

"…Oh," both of them said at the same time. Malon made a noise that sounded like a sigh of exasperation.

"Did they actually forget that they can attack each other?" Gaston asked.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Brandi muttered.

"…I'm sorry… but…" Larka trailed off.

"No, go ahead. I want you to attack first," Zack said.

"All right then… I flip summon Mirage Dragon (1600/600), Blade Knight (1600/1000), Wandering Hero, Freed (1700/1200), Dunamis Valkyria (1800/1050), and Volt Girl. (1900/800) Mirage Dragon attacks your first defense monster," Larka said.

"You've run into Sphere Bomb. (1400/1400) You must know his effect by now," Zack stated.

"Yes. Blade Knight attacks your second defense monster," Larka decided.

"Bowgunian in destroyed." (1300/1000)

"Freed attacks your third one…"

"Cannon Soldier." (1400/1300)

"Then Dunamis Valkyria will go for the fourth…"

"Roulette Bomber actually survives." (1000/2000)

"And Volt Girl attacks the last one."

"Air Guard Gear Golem also makes it." (800/2200)

Zack: 8000

Larka: 7500

"I lay two cards and end my turn," Larka concluded.

As Zack drew, Larka flipped over one of her cards. "I activate Solar Ray to do 600 damage for each of my Light Main-Type monsters. Since I have five… that's 3000…"

All five monsters began to glow, and then each one shot out a beam of light. The five beams hit Zack, causing him to be temporarily blinded.

Zack: 5000

Larka: 7500

Larka covered her mouth with her hand upon seeing the aftereffects. "Oh, sorry!"

"No, it's fine," Zack said, straightening up. "Don't worry about that. I will use Roulette Bomber's effect now."

The two dice landed on the field, revealing a three and a four.

"I choose to have Freed be destroyed," Zack stated as Roulette Bomber blew him up. "Then I sacrifice Roulette Bomber for Machine King. (2400/2000) He attacks Volt Girl."

"In response, I activate Emissary of Harmony," Larka said.

"Very well. I lay one card down, and am done," Zack told her.

After Larka drew, the Sphere Bomb on Mirage Dragon exploded, killing Mirage Dragon along with it and connecting with Larka.

Zack: 5000

Larka: 5900

"Ah… sorry… I should not have played that…" Zack said awkwardly.

"I don't mind," Larka assured, still looking embarrassed. "I sacrifice all three of my monsters for Gilford the Lightning. (2800/1400) That destroys your Machine King and Gear Golem. Then I… attack you directly… I guess…"

"In response, I activate Magic Cylinder," Zack stated. The lightning attack went through one cylinder and out the other, striking Larka.

Zack: 5000

Larka: 3100

"If you're thinking of apologizing, don't," Brandi growled as Zack started to say something. "Same to you, Larka. It's just a damn game!"

Zack and Larka looked away sheepishly before Larka said, "I'm done."

"…I'm… um…" Zack coughed slightly to avoid Brandi's wrath by covering up another apology. "I play Early Burial to special summon Machine King."

Zack: 4200

Larka: 3100

"Then I summon Drillago. (1600/1100) I equip Machine King with 7 Card to raise his attack by 700. (3100/2000) After that, I activate Enemy Controller to switch Gilford to defense mode. Drillago attacks Gilford, and Machine King… attacks directly…" Zack couldn't hide his guilty expression as the Machine King's fists crashed into Larka.

Zack: 4200

Larka: 0

Larka recovered from the blow swiftly and turned off her Duel Disk before going back over to Zack. "Um…"

"I'm sorry… er, I mean…" Zack said.

"It's fine… I'm sorry to have made you do that…" Larka replied.

"…I think that duel was the most painful thing I have ever watched," Gaston commented on the sidelines. Malon, who had trotted over, gave a disgusted growl of agreement.

"They said they've never dueled each other before?" Hope asked.

"Yeah. Now I can see why," Brandi said in exasperation.

"And hopefully, they never will again," Max muttered.

By this time, Zack and Larka had come over, both still looking slightly embarrassed. "I guess that wasn't a very good demonstration," Larka said.

"Afraid not," Gaston replied. "But it's all right. I'm sure both of you would do a lot better against any other opponent."

"We'll probably get to see that later," Hope assured.

"I'm sure you will," Larka said, looking a bit happier. "So where are we going next?"

"Do you know where anyone is off the top of your head?" Brandi asked.

"No," Zack answered.

Brandi sighed. "Then we'll just have to look around until we find-"

"LOOK OUT BELOW!" they suddenly heard someone shout. Before anyone could react though, a blurred form crashed into Brandi, sending them both to the ground.

To be continued…


	3. Reunion

I can explain the delay of about two and a half months! Really! School was destroying me! And besides that, I have been packing because we're moving into an actual house in the summer! I'm not lying!

…In all honestly, I HAVE been busy. I do apologize several times for the horrifying wait everyone had to endure. Since spring break is coming up, I might be able to update more. However, Kingdom Hearts 2 is coming out in eight days… so no guarantees. Sorry everyone! I hope to do well with rapid updates though!

**Chapter 3: Reunion**

Despite just being crushed, Brandi recovered almost instantly. She grabbed the person by the ankle and threw him to the side as she stood up, causing him to land on his back with a yelp of pain.

"RUE! WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA?" Brandi shouted furiously.

Rue's only response was a groan.

"Rue?" Hope said, going closer. Now that she could see him clearly, Hope wondered how she had not been able to tell it was him from the start. Although he had grown, his outfit still looked exactly the same, further proving Hope's theory that those were the only clothes he owned. His white hair was still pretty short, and as his eyes snapped open, Hope saw that their brown depths were as deep as ever.

Upon seeing Hope, Rue sat up. "Hope! You're here-OW!" He collapsed again.

"Um… yeah, I am… are you all right?" Hope replied, looking concerned.

"I just fell about a hundred feet from the sky and only survived because I landed on Brandi, who will kill me for it," Rue said. "In other words… NO! I'M NOT ALL RIGHT!"

"For once, he's correct," Brandi stated, glaring at him.

"How did you fall?" Larka asked in bewilderment.

"Try looking up," Rue growled.

They did so and were just in time to see three large figures descending from the sky. Two Blue Eyes White Dragons and a familiar Red Eyes Black Dragon landed a few feet away, gazing at the group.

"That would explain," Zack said, torn between exasperation and amusement.

A man leapt off one of the Blue Eyes, a man Hope recognized at once. "Hey Rue! You survive?"

"Barely, no thanks to you!" Rue snarled.

"Hi Draken," Hope said, as though Rue was not seething on the ground next to her.

Draken's color scheme had not altered much. He wore a white shirt with a light-weight silver jacket over it and blue pants, along with the same white boots and blue fingerless gloves. His silver hair had grown out a bit more; the ponytail now ended at his shoulder blades. To go with that was his blue eyes, which were sparkling in delight at the moment.

"Hey Hope! Nice weather we're having today, huh?" Draken remarked, pointedly not looking at Rue. "It's the perfect kind to have an excuse to… DROP IN!" He laughed as he said that.

"As you can see, his puns have not gotten any better," Max said dryly.

"He tells the truth," Draken said as he pulled out a card and inserted it into his Duel Disk, causing a Red Potion to appear in his hand. "Either way, I guess I should heal you."

"I'd be more grateful if it wasn't your fault in the first place," Rue spat.

"I imagine you would be," Draken agreed, kneeling down. "But that doesn't matter right now, does it? So shut up and drink this."

While Draken was busy with that, two Soul Monsters got off of the second Blue Eyes and approached them. Gaston went up to them at once. "Ruecian! Darche!"

"Nice to see you again, Gaston!" Darche said. Ruecian smiled but remained as silent as ever.

"Yeah, same here! And it looks like you haven't changed at all," Gaston directed to Ruecian.

Ruecian shrugged.

"Figures," Gaston said with a small smile of his own.

"That should take care of you. Now excuse me while I back off so you won't throw me into the lake or anything along those lines," Draken said before retreating. Rue leapt up but did not try to pursue him, instead watching him with a look of annoyance.

Draken gestured to the Blue Eyes, and both of them took off, flying in the direction of the mountains. The remaining dragon came up to them, and a woman dismounted.

"Kisara!" Hope said, going up to her and embracing her.

"Hello," Kisara replied softly as she returned it, smiling.

Kisara's colors had also remained the same. The dress she wore was blood-red, but now had black trimming to go with her elegant black shoes. Her black hair still fell to her waist, and her emerald-green eyes sparkled with a happiness that she had previously lacked.

"I still haven't been able to make her speak up," Draken said with a sigh. "I've tried. Seriously."

"He is telling the truth." Kazel lowered her head, getting a close look at Hope as she released Kisara. "It is good to see you, Hope," she said, her voice retaining its song-like nature. Then she added, "Gaston as well," while looking over at him.

"You too," Hope said, Gaston nodding in agreement.

"By the way, happy birthday!" Draken added.

"Yeah, the same goes from all of us!" Larka said happily.

"It's Hope's birthday?" Rue said.

Everyone stared at him in silence, before Ruecian smacked him over the head.

"OW! What was that for?" Rue exclaimed.

"How could she have gotten back into Teknisk Wereld if it wasn't her birthday?" Max said.

"…Oh. Right. Hit me again please," Rue said. Ruecian obliged.

"It looks like almost all of us are here!" Draken said, looking around. "Just missing Will, Miles, and Fell from the main group… not that we could have done much about Miles or Fell anyway…"

"Damn it! I'm sick of him hiding!" Rue snarled. "Where is he?"

"Did someone tell you about Miles?" Draken asked Hope.

"Brandi said none of you have had any contact with him," Hope replied. "I'm rather worried about it…"

"We all are. But there isn't anything we can do at the moment," Draken said regretfully. "Hopefully, Gen is keeping him in line… if something happened."

"Where are Will and Neo?" Gaston asked.

"They should be coming soon," Darche replied.

"What about Claire?" Hope inquired.

"She went to meet up with Amy first," Rue explained.

"Amy's here? She's been pretty busy with college lately, according to Kisara," Draken stated.

"Yes, but she wanted to see me on my first day back here," Hope said. "It's been a while since we've seen each other, so I'm looking forward to it. Do you know where Claire went to find her, Rue?"

"Yeah, she mentioned the plains," Rue answered. "Either way, it shouldn't take them long."

"While we're waiting, how about I repay you for falling on me?" Brandi said, turning on her Duel Disk.

Rue stepped back, waving his hands in protest. "Whoa, wait a minute! That wasn't my fault! Draken pushed me off the Blue Eyes!"

"Yeah, after you said you wanted to see who the people on the ground were," Draken reminded him. "So I decided to let you go take a look!"

"You're a complete bastard," Rue growled.

"Well, actually, you have a point. It's not like I remember my father at all or anything," Draken said thoughtfully. Then he shrugged. "Either way, you're the one who started it."

"I didn't start anything!" Rue snapped.

"Really, I don't care who started it!" Brandi cut in. "Rue was the one who crushed me, so I'm going to take it out on him! I suggest you get ready for a duel, because otherwise, you won't get a chance to defend yourself. It's either through a real fight or through cards that this is decided, and I don't want to be charged for murder, so cards it is."

"I suggest doing as she suggests," Draken said.

"I suggest to myself that I never listen to you again after this," Rue stated before getting his Duel Disk ready. "Fine then. Let's get this over with."

Ruecian merely nodded, but did not go up to him. Apparently, Rue did not wish to use a Deck Master, although he did not say why.

Rue: 8000

Brandi: 8000

"How are we going to decide who goes first?" Rue asked.

"You go," Brandi stated. "I want you to."

Rue shrugged. "Fine by me. I summon Skilled Black Magician, (1900/1700) and lay one card down. That's it."

"All I do is place one monster in defense mode," Brandi said.

"You'll regret that," Rue stated, looking very confident. "I have the perfect play to make! First, I summon another Skilled Black Magician. Then I play Angel's Gift, drawing three cards and discarding two… excellent! I get rid of Black Magician and Double Magic. Then I play Early Burial, bringing back Black Magician!" (2500/2100)

Rue: 7200

Brandi: 8000

"I equip my Black Magician with Power of Magicians! (3000/2600) Now that each of my Skilled Black Magicians has three magic counters, I sacrifice both of them to special summon two more Black Magicians! Then I activate Cry of the Living Dead, to special summon one of my Skilled Black Magicians!"

"Wow… if Rue manages to attack with all of those, Brandi will lose!" Hope said in awe.

Brandi did not seem the least bit intimidated. "So, going to actually attack, or just stand around all day showing off what you got from your special summoning spree?"

"Of course I'm going to attack!" Rue said impatiently. "Skilled Black Magician attacks your defense monster!"

They all had just enough time to see a thin young girl in rags appear before she was dissolved from the black magic attack.

"What was that?" Rue asked.

"You destroyed my Starving Girl," (0/100) Brandi said. She waved her finger at him. "For so brutally destroying a poor girl like that, your battle phase immediately ends."

"Say WHAT? You mean all of my efforts were for NOTHING this turn?" Rue exclaimed.

"Afraid so," Brandi replied with a grin as almost everyone watching began to laugh at Rue's expression.

"That's ridiculous! I end my turn!" Rue snarled.

"Rue gets screwed over again," Draken snickered.

"Shut up!" Rue snapped at him.

"He's only telling the truth," Brandi said. "Because now I play a magic card, Lightning Vortex. By discarding a card-Solar Ray this time-all face up monsters on the field are destroyed."

"What? But… that's not fair!" Rue protested as all his monsters were blown apart.

"Hey, it wasn't fair when you nearly crushed me to death," Brandi pointed out amongst the fresh wave of laughter that occurred from this. "Only repaying you. Now I summon Blade Knight (1600/1000) and attack you directly!"

As the Blade Knight sliced into Rue, Hope asked, "What did Brandi do with her deck? It used to be a Dark Main-Type deck, but Blade Knight is…"

"A Light Main-Type," Max said with a nod. "It's a Light Main-Type deck now."

"Like Larka's?" Hope said.

"Yes," Larka answered. "Coincidentally, she changed deck types around the time I returned to Teknisk Wereld."

"Huh. That's interesting," Hope said, turning back to the duel. Brandi was just placing a card down and ending her turn.

Rue: 5600

Brandi: 8000

"I'm not going to give up just because of a few minor set backs!" Rue declared.

"Minor? I'd call that more than minor," Brandi said lightly.

"Quiet, woman! I summon Doublecoston (1700/1650) and attack Blade Knight!" Rue said.

"I would prefer to keep my Life Points untouched," Brandi stated. "So I activate Magic Cylinder."

Rue: 3900

Brandi: 8000

"Damn it! Your turn," Rue growled.

"I summon Volt Girl. (1900/800) Volt Girl attacks Doublecoston, and Blade Knight attacks directly! You may take your turn after that," Brandi said.

Rue: 2100

Brandi: 8000

"Oh yeah? …Ok, you're right, I'm screwed," Rue said, then drew. "…Or maybe not! I lay one card down and end my turn!"

"That won't save you!" Brandi said. "I attack with Volt Girl!"

"I activate my trap card, A Hero Appears!" Rue declared. "This is a card I just managed to acquire recently, my only new one in a while. You select a card in my hand, and if it's a monster, it is special summoned to my field. Anything else goes to the Cemetery."

"Fine," Brandi said, looking bored as she went over to him. "Hold out your hand so I can grab one."

"Well, I think I only have one card anyway, so…" As Rue shifted his hand slightly, another card was revealed though. "Oh, wait, sorry. Make that… two…" He paled. "Oh… crap… Brandi, can I please take that move back? Please? Go ahead and kill me, I don't care, just let me take that back…"

Brandi snorted. "As if I would let you do that. You activated it, now suffer the consequences." Before Rue could protest again, she grabbed the card that had been previously concealed and threw it onto his Duel Disk.

Rue winced as Black Magician Girl appeared on the field, laughing brightly. Brandi gazed at her for a long moment, not saying anything before suddenly running up the slope.

"Brandi!" Larka exclaimed. She stepped forward, arm stretched out, but then let it fall to her side as she watched Brandi run off.

"Oh no…" Hope whispered, remembering what Max had said earlier.

Rue: 2100

Brandi: Forfeit

"…Well… I tried to warn her," Rue said meekly.

Max glared at him, eyes blazing with fury. "Tried to warn her? You should have never even taken that risk in the first place! I specifically told you what would happen if you did that!"

"I know, I know! I didn't see that card in my hand, honestly!" Rue said, waving his hands. "I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to do that!"

"It doesn't matter what you meant to do; you did that either way!" Max snarled. "You're going to be lucky to be alive when I'm done with you! I don't even know where to start!"

"Allow me," they heard someone say. Before they could react, a solid thud sounded, and Rue dropped to the ground with a yelp.

They looked up to see a man standing there, holding a thick book in his hand. Even without that accessory, Hope would have known who he was on sight.

"Will!" Hope exclaimed.

"It's been a long time, Hope," Will said as he moved his book, _The Half-Blood Prince_, away from where Rue laid.

"Far too long!" That caused Hope to notice who was standing nearby him.

"You look as energetic as ever, Neo," Gaston commented.

"That's me!" Neo said, twirling his staff for effect. Then he indicated to Rue and said, "I told him to work on avoiding Will's book attacks, but nooo, nobody listens to me!"

"As usual," Gaston said dryly.

"As usual," Neo agreed mournfully.

"Max, I advise against killing Rue," Will said as he walked over to them. "Who knows when we'll need him again?"

"How about I at least put him inches away from death? Can I do that?" Max growled.

"Well, you technically could, but I do not think you should," Will stated.

"Yeah. Instead, you should be asking us how much we improved!" Draken said, indicating to himself and Kisara.

"You improved?" Rue asked as he stood, holding his hand to his head.

"You've seen me duel," Draken pointed out. "You should have noticed my improvements."

Rue shrugged. "You win some, you lose some."

"Ain't that the truth!" Draken said. "When it comes to Kisara and me, we're about dead even! I win one, then she wins one, and so on…"

"Then how about you have a duel now? I'd like to see," Hope said, using the excuse to get Max's attention off of Rue.

"That's what I was trying to say!" Draken looked at Kisara. "That all right with you?"

"Yes," Kisara replied quietly before going a good distance away. Then they turned on their Duel Disks.

Draken: 8000

Kisara: 8000

"Unlike Rue, I'm a gentleman at heart. Ladies first," Draken said in an exaggerated gallant tone.

Kisara laughed softly. "All right. I lay one monster in defense mode and one card."

"He always manages to flatter her," Kazel commented.

"He just insulted me again, didn't he?" Rue grumbled.

"I'll summon Spear Dragon. (1900/0) He attacks your defense monster," Draken stated.

"Holy Barrier-Mirror Force," Kisara said, flipping over her trap card. The Spear Dragon bounced off the barrier and exploded.

"Dang it. I lay one card down and end my turn," Draken said.

"I sacrifice my Doublecoston (1700/1650) to summon a Red Eyes Black Dragon. (2400/2000) He attacks you directly," Kisara said.

"Yay for having no counter!" Draken said before getting hit by a huge fireball.

Draken: 5600

Kisara: 8000

"Well, I'm assuming it's my turn," Draken managed to say, coughing a few times from the smoke. "I lay a monster down and end."

"I summon my own Spear Dragon. He attacks your defense monster," Kisara said.

Draken winced as his monster was pierced. "There goes Dol Dora." (1500/1200)

"Red Eyes Black Dragon attacks directly."

Draken: 2500

Kisara: 8000

"Time for a counter attack!" Draken declared. "My Dol Dora returns from the Cemetery. (1000/1000) Then I activate Cry of the Living Dead for my Spear Dragon. I sacrifice both of them for a Blue Eyes White Dragon! (3000/2500) Then I play a magic card, Burst Stream of Destruction! Your monsters are destroyed! Since I can't attack with my Blue Eyes now, that's it for me."

Kisara gazed at her hand worriedly. "I lay one monster in defense mode."

"This seems like a good time for me to summon Sapphire Dragon! (1900/1600) He attacks your defense monster!"

"My Lord of Dragons…" Kisara trailed off as her monster was destroyed.

"Then my Blue Eyes White Dragon attacks directly!"

Draken: 2500

Kisara: 5000

"Some gentleman! You just attacked her!" Rue said.

"It would have been disrespectful to go easy on her, don't you think?" Draken pointed out.

"Yeah, but… gah! Just forget it!" Rue went back to sulking.

"I summon a Sapphire Dragon as well. He attacks yours, and that is all," Kisara said.

"My Blue Eyes attacks directly. I lay a card down and end my turn," Draken stated.

Draken: 2500

Kisara: 2000

"This is pretty close," Hope said. "They've improved too. If Kisara doesn't get something this turn…"

"She will! Or so I hope," Rue said, glaring at Draken.

"I summon Dark Dragon Hatchling. (800/500) Then I play Stomping Crash, to destroy your face down card," Kisara said.

Draken groaned. "My Tidal Wave… and I lose 500 Life Points…"

Draken: 2000

Kisara: 2000

"Then I use his effect. By sacrificing him from my field, I can special summon a Red Eyes Black Dragon from my hand," Kisara said. "Then I play Dark Mega Flare, to do damage equal to my Red Eyes Black Dragon's attack."

"Oh I KNOW this is going to hurt…" Draken managed to say before being hit head-on by the fireball.

Draken: 0

Kisara: 2000

"OWNED!" Rue cheered from the sidelines.

"You're one to talk," Draken said as he dusted off his ash-covered clothes.

"Hey, at least I didn't lose… although I nearly did," Rue admitted.

"You were both great," Hope said.

"Yeah. I've gotten better due to experience, but Kisara really jumped thanks to dueling with me all the time," Draken said. "Before, she didn't get much practice."

"It is true," Kisara confirmed, smiling. "I am grateful for it; I have gotten much better."

"And Draken STILL denies that they're in love," Rue said.

Kisara blushed as Draken made a threatening gesture towards his Duel Disk. "Don't make me get out a Murasame Blade and slice you apart."

"You cannot keep the truth hidden forever!" Rue said before speeding away, Draken following him as they ran in circles.

"More like, YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!" Neo said.

"…That wasn't needed," Darche said.

"But it was so fitting," Neo grinned.

Hope looked in the direction Brandi had gone. "About Brandi…"

"I was here long enough to see what happened," Will stated. "I think she went towards the mountains."

"She would probably prefer to be alone right now," Larka said softly.

"I guess so…" Hope said.

At that moment, a high-pitched whining suddenly sounded. They all turned to see Malon pressing himself against Larka's legs, whimpering frantically.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Larka asked, picking him up.

Malon began to shake in her arms, still whining.

Tenma then growled. "I sense it…"

"Tenma?" Max said.

Kazel's eyes narrowed. "Something is not right… I can feel it."

"What?" Gaston looked at her in concern, and then winced. "I just felt it as well! It's like… ah… how can I explain this… as though something major is about to happen, and not in a good way!"

"Call me paranoid, but I agree with him!" Neo said worriedly.

"I as well," Darche stated, putting his hand to his sword. Ruecian glanced around, his body tense.

"What the hell is going on?" Rue said.

…

"It is time. Delays kept me from doing it until today, but… at last, it is time." The finger on the key paused. "…I cannot hesitate. It must be done." It pressed down.

An emotionless voice came from the computer to acknowledge the command. "_Confirmed._ _Deletion of Teknisk Wereld will begin at once. Please stand by."_

To be continued…


	4. Deletion

Writing rolls! I love writing rolls!

**Chapter Four: Deletion**

It was a sudden thing. The day had seemed normal enough previously. There were a few maintenance problems here and there, but nothing major, all small things that could be fixed swiftly. Captain Lapis Roman had been confident enough that it would go by as smoothly as most days, despite what she said to Helmer earlier that morning.

That all ended when the alarm was activated.

Lapis had been in her office, looking over some documents on her desk, when the alarm suddenly blared through the building. She was up at once, running to the door and throwing it open before going to the stairs; there wasn't enough time to take the elevator.

Of course she knew all about what the alarm was for; everyone did. It only went off when Teknisk Wereld was in serious danger of deletion. She was also aware that it had never gone off… until now. But one of the first things she had been trained in was what it sounded like and how to react to it; it was that serious.

She swiftly went down a floor and went in at once. There were several computer terminals in this section, all ones that maintained Teknisk Wereld and kept it running. At this moment, all of the technicians were busy frantically typing at their keyboards and talking to each other anxiously.

"I want a report at once!" Lapis shouted over the noise. "Helmer, where are you?"

"Captain!" Helmer ran up to her, looking disheveled. "It's as bad as she thought. A section of Teknisk Wereld is being deleted!"

"Damn!" Lapis went to the nearest terminal, which currently had a map of Teknisk Wereld's mainframe up. The plains section was blinking rapidly, from its normal green colors to white and back again.

"That's the only part so far, Captain!" the man at the terminal said, entering a few new commands. "But we can't override it!"

"You try to trace the one who is behind this! Do so at once!" Lapis went to the next terminal, where a woman was seated. "You, tell everyone else to try to get the part that is being deleted stabilized! It has to remain intact long enough for anyone there to evacuate!" Before the woman could respond, Lapis went running to a terminal at the very end. "Keith! Tell everyone in Teknisk Wereld to leave at ONCE! Don't give them any room for argument!"

"Right away!" Keith said, hurriedly closing out some programs to open a new one.

As Lapis moved on, she noticed an empty terminal. "Who are we missing?"

"Zack, Captain. He wanted the day off, remember?" the man next to that one said. "Something about meeting some old friends of his."

"Argh! Of all days, it had to be this one!" Lapis exclaimed before going back to Helmer. "What's the situation now?"

"Nothing we are doing is working! At this rate, the targeted area will be completely deleted, and then the other parts as well!" Helmer said.

"Not good at all… that means we have to fall back onto the Guardian," Lapis stated, running towards the stairs.

Helmer followed her. "The Guardian? Will she be able to stop this?"

Lapis began to go up, with Helmer right behind her. "Theoretically, yes. But she has never had to, so we don't know for sure."

"If she can, then that will be a tremendous help," Helmer said. "But I am more concerned about the people in Teknisk Wereld…"

"We have no idea what will happen to them if they are in those areas when they are deleted," Lapis said grimly. "With all of Teknisk Wereld's security, it seemed impossible that something like this would happen. Even when forewarned about it, we've been unable to do anything!"

"All we can do is hope that the Guardian will stop this before it gets out of hand," Helmer said. "After that, maybe we can fix the damage."

"I pray that it will be that simple," Lapis said as she went into her room again and sat down at the computer. "I'm going to help as best as I can. You should do so as well."

"Right." Helmer ran towards his own room, leaving Lapis to pull up the necessary programs.

…

The Elemental Spring was as peaceful as ever and certainly looked as though it were in no danger of being deleted. One looking at it would not even think it had anything to do with it. Yet it was the complete opposite; it had everything to do with it.

There was a part of the wall inside the spring that was actually clear crystal, with a woman preserved in it. That woman had remained concealed to that day, with the hopes of those behind her that she would never have to be released.

Those hopes had certainly been shot to hell.

The woman's eyes suddenly opened. Upon this cue, the crystal began to crack, and then shattered completely. The woman sprang out, using the wall as leverage to go rocketing up through the water. She went flying out of it, landing on the ground. It was a feat no human could accomplish on their own.

The woman began to look around, eyeing the sky intently. Then her eyes became glazed as she began to speak out loud. "Location confirmed: starting point at Sector 3001, spreading rapidly. All of Teknisk Wereld will be deleted in exactly fourteen minutes, thirty seconds if not stopped. Activating immediate safety measures."

She bent down, pulling a hair from her head without any sign of pain. She placed it on the ground, one end first, and it dived into the ground as though it were water. The woman stood up again. "Anchor employment complete. The entire structure of Teknisk Wereld will be secured in one minute. This will save all but the Plains Sector."

After a minute had passed, the woman said, "Immediate safety measures complete. Teknisk Wereld deletion has been halted. Awaiting further instructions."

She paused, as though expecting someone to speak. When nothing happened, she said, "Connection with the Creator has failed. Switching to substitute." She paused again, and then said, "Substitute identified. Name: Larka Luna. Location: Sector 1337. Departing immediately for further orders. Until contact with substitute is done, following default orders." The woman then began to run, jumping into the hole that led out of the Elemental Spring's location.

…

"What is taking her so long?" Claire said, looking around the plains. Nobody had appeared though.

"You know Amy. She is always talking about how often her family is late, including her," Perseus reminded her.

"That's true," Claire admitted. "But that doesn't stop me from being impatient."

"Claire!" Amy ran up to her, halting and then panting as she said, "Sorry I'm late…"

"We both are," Sakura gasped, leaning on her staff as she tried to catch her breath.

Claire shrugged. "It's all right. But you really should work on that."

"I'm trying…" Amy said.

"We both are…" Sakura groaned.

"Hey guys, what's going on in this area?" Chasity said, popping up behind them.

"ACK!" Claire, Amy, and Sakura all leapt back, while Perseus just gazed at her without reacting.

"Don't startle me like that!" Claire said, getting over her shock.

"Sorry, couldn't resist," Chasity said with a grin as Petra shook her head. "Anyway, Max made me go and do my homework, but I didn't have much, so I'm already back. Are you going to meet up with him and everyone else?"

"That's the plan," Amy said, finally getting over her mad dash.

"Then I'll stick with you guys!" Chasity decided. "That'll make things easier for us."

"Sure, that's fine… Perseus? What is wrong?" Claire asked, noticing that her Soul Monster seemed frozen.

"…Claire… you have to get away from here. Now," Perseus said, his eyes filled with worry.

"What? Why?" Claire asked.

"Don't question me, please! Just go!" Perseus vanished, presumably into his Soul Card.

"…What was that about?" Amy wondered.

"Amy! Do as he says! Do it at once!" Sakura disappeared as well.

"Chasity, I agree with them. Leave Teknisk Wereld immediately!" Petra was then gone.

"…Petra would never act like that unless there was a good reason for it," Chasity said. "We should do as they said."

"I agree. Sakura wasn't joking, and Perseus is usually serious anyway," Amy concurred, looking concerned. "Let's get out of here."

Before they could even reach to their Duel Disks though, the whole area flickered, becoming completely white. Then it became normal again.

"What was that?" Claire exclaimed.

"That was our cue to get out of here," Amy said.

They never had the chance to do that though. The area went white again, and then all was black.

…

Hime was not particularly busy, as was normal nowadays. Once Chasity had grown up somewhat, her only major duty for her was helping to cook, cleaning around the house, and making sure she did her homework. Not much, in other words, especially when compared to what her duties had been before. Having Randall alive again helped too.

She had been sitting in the living room, thinking over the chores that needed to be taken care of, when she noticed that something seemed wrong with Chasity. It took a few moments for realization to settle in; she was not breathing.

…

Darkness. Complete darkness. That was all she knew. All she was aware of. All she thought of.

Mana had no idea how long she had been amongst this darkness, this world she now lived in. The world of death. It had to be. She had died, hadn't she?

She never considered that though. There was not much she considered now. Having her soul practically lost in the abyss affected her pretty noticeably.

Darkness… darkness… darkness…

"_Mana!"_

Mana's eyes flew open. She found herself staring at a girl who was practically transparent. At first, Mana could not respond, amazed that there was something other than herself and the void here. Then she managed to say, "_Who…?"_

"_It's me, Chasity! Please Mana, you have to help!"_ she said, her voice echoing eerily.

"_Chasity?_ _Who…" _Mana's eyes lit up. "_Chasity!_ _It really is you! I… I remember now! Chasity, how are you here?"_

"_Teknisk Wereld… something has happened in it… it's really bad… you have to go there!"_ Chasity said. "_If you don't, Brandi will end up like me!"_

"_What? Brandi's in trouble?" _Mana said in alarm.

"_Yes! I'm beyond the point of help right now, but if you are quick, you can save Brandi! Hurry!"_ Then Chasity vanished.

_I can't stay here, I have to help!_ Mana thought. She closed her eyes again. _I have to… have to…_

A few seconds later, she felt… heavy. That was the only way she could explain it. She opened her eyes, and found herself in a new area. It was endless white, a complete contradiction of where she had been before.

…_Did I just… die? For real this time?_ Mana concentrated for a moment, and then realized that couldn't be the case. She could feel something underneath her: marble. Probably a slab of marble, but nevertheless, it was cold. And she actually felt as though she was in a real body. That discounted her dead theory.

_So I wasn't dead… I was… in a coma? But… I can't move…_ Mana realized. _My body… it won't respond… but I have to help Brandi! There has to be a way! Please… I need the power to do this! Please!_

Nothing happened for a moment. Then Mana slowly felt herself being engulfed in light.

…

Brandi had gone all the way to the plains before stopping, using a few support cards to make her trip faster. Now she leaned against the rocky walls of one of the mountains, trying to stop herself from crying. She had been afraid that she might break down, so she had wanted to be alone. It was better than doing so in front of the entire group.

Lost in her sorrow, Brandi nearly missed the flicker of the world becoming white. But she did see it, and looked up in puzzlement.

"W…what was that?" Brandi whispered, staring in shock at the white space stretching out in front of her. It was approaching her, but Brandi was paralyzed.

Just as the white reached her, she heard a familiar voice cry, "Brandi!" Then she felt someone grab her before she was whisked away.

Brandi was being pulled along at a very fast speed, but whoever was bringing her halted quickly, landing in the forest and letting go of her. Brandi turned to see who it was.

For a moment, she thought she was staring at a Black Magician Girl. But she realized that that wasn't right. For one thing, this monster's armor was a different shade, now looking far more blue. Her skirt was a light violet, and her staff was different as well, with three jewels implanted in it. The jewels on her helmet and staff were green, and she had high-heel boots. Her blond hair also had a slightly red tint to it. Despite those differences, however, Brandi was almost positive of who it was.

The Soul Monster's voice confirmed it. "Brandi? Are you all right?"

Brandi couldn't respond. Instead, she fell to the ground in a dead faint.

…

As everyone in the group was silent, they suddenly heard a voice from their Duel Disks. "Attention, all duelists! This is Keith giving you an urgent update! All of you are to log out of Teknisk Wereld immediately! I repeat, attention all duelists! This is…"

"What is going on?" Hope said in bewilderment as Keith continued to talk.

"Do you think it's another group, like the Generals of Hell?" Neo wondered.

"It's better not be," Draken said grimly. "I've had enough of people like that."

"…immediately! Teknisk Wereld is under deletion! It will be stabilized shortly, but for your safety, please leave at once! It may be from an internal source! I repeat, Teknisk Wereld is…"

"What the hell?" Max said.

"That's crazy!" Rue exclaimed. "We can't just leave after hearing that!"

"…I agree," Max stated. "Despite the risks."

Zack nodded. "I wish to investigate this."

"Me too," Larka concurred.

"But what about this deletion thing? That sounds pretty dangerous," Gaston pointed out.

"We will probably be able to teleport out before getting caught in it if we see it coming, thanks to the warning Keith just gave," Will said. "I think it is worth the risk."

"Then let us go," Kazel said, stepping forward. "The anomaly seems to be coming from… the direction of the mountains."

"The mountains? That's the direction Brandi went!" Larka exclaimed.

"And that's also where Claire and Amy were supposed to meet… damn!" Rue said, paling. "Let's get moving, quickly!"

They went up the slope at once, but halted at the top, staring in shock at what lay before them. Behind the mountains, the sky did not exist anymore. Instead, it was an endless space of white.

As Rue swore several times, Larka said, "That was what was deleted?"

"Yes… but it seems to have stopped there," Kazel said, gazing at the spot. "Darche, you should get some Blue Eyes White Dragons. We can fly to the location."

"Good idea." Darche held his sword aloft, and it began to glow blue. Three Blue Eyes soon arrived, descending in front of them.

"I'll take one with Rue, and Ruecian!" Draken said. "Zack, Larka, Malon, and Darche, ride another! Max, recall Tenma and take the last one with Hope and Gaston! Kisara, you've got Kazel, so have Will and Neo ride on her as well. That should take care of everyone!"

They all mounted their respective dragons, along with Max after he had Tenma return to his Soul Card. Then they took off, flying for the mountains.

The trip was swift, and they soon arrived, landing on one of the mountains. After dismounting, the Blue Eyes flew away, clearly not wanting to be around the deleted area.

"I don't blame them one bit," Draken said, gazing at the white space nervously. "They were pretty cooperative though; not one complaint about coming here."

"So what are we looking for?" Hope said as Max brought out Tenma.

"The one who was responsible for this, I guess," Neo said.

"Then look over here," they heard a man's voice say.

They spun around, and upon a taller mountain right next to theirs, they saw two figures. One was standing in shadow, but the other was in full view. He wore a green sleeveless shirt that had a high collar, concealing part of his face. With that went blue pants and black boots. His spiky black hair was done back in a ponytail, and his brown eyes glinted maliciously as he looked down upon them.

"Ok, he's suspicious," Draken said at once.

"…How did he get so tall?" Rue said in wonder.

"I'm on a mountain, dumbass," the man said.

"My turn to smack the idiot!" Draken proceeded to do so.

"Hey! Save your insults for later!" Rue snapped, rubbing his head as he turned back to the man. "Seriously, who the hell are you?"

"Who am I? Technically, I am the one who is helping destroy all of Teknisk Wereld, and 'silencing' anyone who finds out about it," the man said with an arrogant smirk. "If it is a name you want, Kai."

Upon hearing that, Max gave Larka and Zack a knowing look that they returned before facing Kai again.

"And your friend?" Will inquired.

The other man stepped out from where he had been concealed. That did not help much though, for the black cloak he wore still kept him hidden.

"My name… do I have one? Or many?" the man said, laughing. "Does a name for me exist? Or am I everyone, without need for a name? What are names, labels? I bear no name, for I have no personality to speak of!"

"…How DID I get stuck with this nutcase?" Kai said with a sigh. "We call him Lunacy, because that's precisely what he is-insane." Kai brought out a card. "But he does do one thing well: killing. So I will let him take care of all of you. That way, I win no matter what the outcome is; either you all die, which was what I was ordered to do anyway, or I am permanently relieved of that idiot, which will save me from many more headaches. See you all later… if you live." Then Kai inserted the card, vanishing.

"…I hate that guy already," Rue declared.

"I think we all do," Draken said, his eye twitching.

"Hate, love, what words are these you speak of?" Lunacy leapt from the mountain, falling onto the mountain they were on. They all winced as they heard his leg bones snap upon the impact. But Lunacy began to laugh crazily before bringing out a card. This caused them all to flinch again; his laugh was truly one of an insane man. "Pain, joy, despair, delight, mourning, rejoicing, it's all useless!" A light surrounded him, and he stood again, his legs healed. "They all pale in comparison to reality!"

"…I am NOT dueling this guy," Rue stated. "Anyone else volunteer?"

"Don't look at me," Draken said.

"I haven't dueled seriously in a while… I do not think it would be wise to try now," Hope said nervously.

"To save any further debate, I choose to go," Will said, stepping forward and turning on his Duel Disk.

"Us? Against HIM? Will, why must you always get us into things like this?" Neo whined as he went next to him.

"Because I want to know what is wrong with this man," Will said, staring at Lunacy. "Something tells me that he is not acting this way by choice. By dueling him, maybe I can find out more."

"If you insist," Neo sighed.

"Tired of life? Wish to see the ultimate truth? Look to me to be the knowledge bearer!" Lunacy brought out a Soul Card. A monster sprang out, and was about as fitting as could be gotten for Lunacy. It was a humanoid figure, wearing a pink shirt with yellow stars on it and yellow pants with a matching ribbon going over his shoulder. He had a pink cap that had the same design as his shirt, and a blue scarf of sorts around his neck. His short purple hair fell into his eyes, concealing them, and he had a large, green, rubber nose. He may have looked ridiculous in many circumstances, but with the wicked smirk he had now, it made him look down-right scary.

"Insanity, a Dream Clown!" Lunacy said. "He and I are the ones who know of the path to it! Heaven and Hell? Such children's tales! What really exists? You shall soon find out!"

"We already know, stupid! We've been to Hell before!" Rue said. "Well… some of us have been, anyway."

"In what dream? Or should I say… nightmare? What word do you ignorant beings have for those illusions now?" Lunacy laughed madly again.

"This guy is beyond reasoning…" Gaston said as he shook his head.

"Something else puzzles me," Zack remarked. "Why has he not shown us his face?"

"At this point, I don't even want to see it," Larka said with a shiver.

Lunacy had apparently overheard them. "What? You require faces to make judgments? Then behold mine!" He whipped off his cloak hood. "Pass your verdict on me, beings that call yourselves gods!"

Everyone except Max, Tenma, Will, and Ruecian gasped upon seeing him-or, in Malon's case, yelped. His grey hair was very unkempt, as though never taken care of, but what shocked them were his facial features. His eyes were completely white, showing no signs of irises or pupils. His mouth was permanently twisted in an insane grin, giving him the look of a completely demented man-which was precisely what he was.

Lunacy broke the silence. "Different, am I? For once, you think truthfully, for I am far beyond any of you that know so little!"

"I am really glad I avoided dueling him," Rue said, still shaken.

"What happened to his eyes?" Larka said nervously, holding onto Zack's arm for support.

"Eyes? The devices that show you what you think is reality? Such liars, eyes are!" Lunacy laughed once more, sending another chill down everyone's spine.

"It seems my theory was right," Will stated. "This is not a natural cause… either way, let us begin. The truth will be revealed soon enough."

…

Brandi finally came around, blinking a few times as she sat up. At first, she could not remember why she had been unconscious. Upon catching sight of Mana, who was sitting nearby, memories came flooding back to her.

"…Mana?" Brandi sat up, still disbelieving what she was seeing. "Are you really… Mana?"

"Oh, you're awake!" Mana said with a smile. "About time."

"Mana!" Brandi flung herself onto Mana, embracing her fiercely as her eyes filled with tears.

"Hey, it's all right now…" Mana said, returning it. "I'm back, and for good this time."  
After a few moments, Brandi let go of her. "But how can this be? I thought you were dead…"

"So did I," Mana confessed. "But apparently, I was in a coma. Chasity contacted me and told me you were in danger."

Brandi frowned. "Chasity? How did she manage to do that?"

"I have no idea," Mana said. "But she did. Tell me… how long have I been gone?"

Brandi winced. "Seven years…"

"WHAT!" Mana exclaimed. "SEVEN? NO WONDER YOU LOOKED SO DIFFERENT!"

At that, Brandi couldn't help but laugh, the first truly happy laugh she had given in a long time. "Yes, that would be why. You look pretty different yourself!"

Mana nodded. "I could not help you in my old form; I was too weak. So I became a new monster. I'm no longer a Black Magician Girl, but a Magician's Valkyria."

"Wow… that explains. A lot has happened... but not only with that. To all of us as well. I can catch you up on it later." Brandi stood up. "But first, we have to meet up with everyone else. They'll be thrilled to see that you're alive!"

"Where are they?" Mana asked as she did the same.

"Well, they were by the lake…" Brandi trailed off as she saw Mana's expression. "What is it?"

"I doubt they would stay there," Mana said. "Come with me."

Mana led her out of the trees; they had been right on the edge of the forest. She indicated to the whiteness behind the mountains, causing Brandi to gasp. "I forgot about that! It nearly consumed me… so that's what you were saving me from! What is it?"

"Teknisk Wereld is being deleted," Mana said grimly. "I heard an announcement come from your Duel Disk while you were unconscious."

"Deleted? But where are…" Brandi turned to the lake, and sighed in relief. "It's still there…"

"They were probably not caught in it," Mana assured. "But I'm betting they went to investigate it."

"Then we should look for them," Brandi stated. "Let's go."

"Right away!" Mana agreed.

…

Will: 8000

Lunacy: 8000

"Who is to go first?" Will asked.

"First, last, it is all the same in the end, for all perish!" Lunacy laughed. "Take either, I care not!"

"I'll go first then," Will said. "I lay a monster in defense mode."

"I bring out Blade Rabbit (400/300)!" Lunacy said.

"Look Draken! It's your best friend!" Gaston joked as the Blade Rabbit appeared, innocently nibbling on a carrot.

"GAH! EVIL!" Rue and Draken chorused. Then they turned to each other, saying, "Quit copying me!" at the same time.

"Three cards, and then the cycle restarts!" Lunacy ended.

Will looked over his hand for a long moment before moving. "I summon Magic Warrior Breaker. (1900/1000) By removing his counter, the card to your left is destroyed." (1600/1000)

"It matters not, for now I activate it!" Lunacy said. "It is a trap card, Curse of Anubis! All face-up effect monsters on the field are switched to defense mode, and their defenses go to zero for the same turn! (400/0) (1600/0) Also, Insanity's Deck Master ability comes into play! When I force your monsters to change modes, their stats are cut in half! (800/0) Not that it matters, since my Blade Rabbit's effect is activated!"

"What does it do?" Will asked.

In response to his question, the Blade Rabbit sprung forward, biting into Breaker several times. Armor torn in several places, Breaker vanished.

"I TOLD YOU IT WAS EVIL!" Rue and Draken said. Then they said, "And I told you to stop that!"

"When Blade Rabbit is switched to defense mode, I choose one monster on your field and destroy it!" Lunacy explained, his grin growing even wider. "Then I activate Labyrinth of Nightmare! This permanent trap forces the player's face-up monsters to switch their modes at the end of their turn!"

"Despite that… I can only end," Will stated.

"I activate a trap card, Gravity Release! This changes all face-up monsters' modes!" Lunacy declared. "My Blade Rabbit is switched to attack, and I switch him to defense mode!" The Blade Rabbit lunged forward, shredding apart Will's defense mode Apprentice Magician. (400/800)

"SEE? THIS PROVES MY POINT!" Rue and Draken glared at each other. "COME ON, KNOCK IT OFF!"

Ruecian took his staff up and smacked them both over the head.

"Thank you," Kazel said, looking relieved.

"Then out comes Goblin Strike Team! (2300/0) They attack directly!" Lunacy said with another laugh.

Will braced himself against the assault, but each club that smashed into him was remarkably painful.

Will: 5700

Lunacy: 8000

"Doing all right, Will?" Neo asked.

"I'll manage," Will assured.

"Will you? Or will those precious safeguards you rely on so much fall?" Lunacy inquired. "How can you be so sure of your own survival? What if you end up like me?"

"Huh? Like you?" Neo said. "Will was pretty sane, the last time I checked."

"Sane? What a delightful word!" Lunacy said, laughing once more. "Such a pleasant word, sane is, for those who believe themselves to be so! We are all insane! Mine just happens to show, thanks to a mistake!"

Larka looked at him nervously. "A mistake? What do you mean?"

"One of the few memories of my previous life that I kept," Lunacy said fondly. "I volunteered to be a test subject for the safeguards, after being assured it was perfectly safe. Perfectly safe, they said!" Another crazy laugh. "Those fools! Nothing is perfectly safe! Nothing! One card broke through their pathetic security, a trap known as Mind Crush!"

"Mind Crush!" Hope exclaimed. "Don't tell me…"

"It was irreversible, they said, yet did I mind? Of course not! It had given me freedom from the shackles of human ignorance!" Lunacy exclaimed excitedly. "Reverse it? Why would I?"

"So that is why he is insane…" Zack said, shaking his head.

"There's nothing we can do then," Will said. "Except kill him to put him out of his misery."

"Misery, you say? I find this life quite enjoyable! I shall take my pleasures before meeting the end!" Lunacy told them. He laid a card down. "My turn is over. Take yours!" His Goblins switched to attack mode, and his Blade Rabbit went to defense.

"Fine… I lay one card face down," Will said.

"My monsters return to attack mode! They attack directly!"

This time, the wounds accumulated, causing Will to stagger a bit before straightening again.

Will: 3400

Lunacy: 8000

"One monster in defense mode, and that is it!" Lunacy said. The Goblins went to attack mode, and the Blade Rabbit to defense.

"I summon Blood Magician. (1400/1700) Then I play Clarity of Mind, to get another from my deck." Will did so, shuffling it afterwards. "This gives my Blood Magician a magic counter. I can remove it to destroy a monster with 700 attack or less. I do so to get rid of Blade Rabbit. That is it. My Blood Magician switches to defense mode."

Lunacy flipped over his face-down monster. "I reveal my Medusa Worm!" (500/600)

A huge worm came out of the ground and grabbed Blood Magician, dragging him underground.

"When flip summoned, it destroys a monster on your field!" Lunacy said. "My Medusa Worm attacks you directly!"

The worm returned to the surface, slamming into Will harshly before retreating.

Will: 2900

Lunacy: 8000

"I sacrifice my Goblin Strike Team for a monster in defense mode! Then I flip Medusa Worm back down! Go ahead!" Lunacy said.

"What kind of deck is this?" Darche asked. "One dependant on changing modes, from what I can tell, but… are there enough cards to make a deck type of that?"

"I would say so," Max said. "A Mode Changing deck… they have an element of surprise that duelists often can't counter. This is a pretty good one."

"Will seems to be in pretty bad shape…" Gaston said worriedly.

"So what? He'll do fine," Rue said confidently.

"You seem pretty sure," Draken commented.

"Will's got this guy's pattern down now," Rue said. "He'll be able to outsmart him."

"It's funny… dueling seems to be the only thing he is level-headed about," Hope remarked.

"I summon Hannibal Necromancer. (1400/1800) He gets a magic counter when I summon him, and I can remove it to destroy a face-up trap card on the field," Will explained. "So your Labyrinth of Nightmare is now gone. I'll attack your Medusa Worm to destroy it and lay one card down. That's it."

"I flip over my monster, Guardian Sphinx!" (1700/2400) Lunacy announced. "When flip summoned, he sends all of your monsters back to your hand! Then he attacks directly!" The Guardian Sphinx shot out two red beams, one from each eye.

"I'll block that with my trap card, Magic Cylinder!" Will said. The beams went into one cylinder and came out the other, tearing into Lunacy.

Will: 2900

Lunacy: 6300

His reaction to the pain was to laugh madly again. "What pathetic resistance! My Guardian Sphinx goes back into face-down defense mode due to his effect, and that is all!"

"I lay one card face down and end my turn," Will said.

"Where are your walls now?" Lunacy taunted. "I summon Giant Orc!" (2200/0)

"I do not need walls. Instead, I get to activate my trap card, Tidal Wave!" Will said. "All monsters on the field are destroyed!"

"Isn't that a wall of water, technically?" Neo commented as Lunacy's monsters were washed away.

Will shrugged. "I guess."

"No matter, no matter! I lay one card down!" Lunacy said.

"I'll play Angel's Gift, to draw three and discard two," Will stated. "I discard Clarity of Mind and Trial By Fire. Then I lay one monster in defense mode and end my turn."

"My trap card is triggered, Seductive Shadow!" Lunacy said. "It reveals your face-down defense mode monster, switching it to attack mode without activating reverse effects."

"You hit my Saint Magician…" (150/200)

"How willingly you walk into my strategies!" Lunacy laughed. "I summon Locust Soldiers! (1000/500) They attack Saint Magician!"

The Locusts covered Saint Magician, giving her barely enough time to cry out once before shattering.

Will: 2050

Lunacy: 6300

"They go face-down, and my turn is over!" Lunacy said.

"All I am going to do is lay one monster in defense mode," Will said.

"I flip summon my Locusts, activating their effect! They destroy one magic or trap card!" Lunacy declared.

"That was my Antagonizing Spell…" Will said.

"Wonderful! They swarm your monster!"

"You've attacked my Tenacious Old Magician. (450/600) His reverse effect destroys one monster on the field," Will said. "So your Locusts are gone too."

Lunacy's grin widened as the Locusts were blasted away. "And once more, you fight back, clinging onto a life of ignorance! Show me what desperation can do!"

"Let us see, shall we?" Will said. "I summon my Hannibal Necromancer again, and attack you directly."

Will: 2050

Lunacy: 4900

Lunacy snickered as the magic attack's remains faded. "That is all? Pathetic! I lay a monster, along with two cards!"

Will looked at his next card thoughtfully. "I lay two cards face down and summon Silent Magician Lv 4!" (1000/1000)

"That's a new card," Hope said as the Magic-User appeared.

"She is pretty good," Max commented. "Just wait and see."

"I flip over my two face-down cards! Both are Guard Penalty, instant magic cards!" Lunacy said. "I select a monster, and if that monster goes to defense mode this turn, I get to draw a card for each Guard Penalty! I choose my own monster and flip summon him, Royal Bodyguard! When summoned in this manner, his stats increase by 300! (1900/2000) I lay one card down and attack with Royal Bodyguards, killing your Hannibal Necromancer!"

Will winced as the Royal Bodyguard pierced through his monster, sending a flare of pain through him.

Will: 1550

Lunacy: 4900

"Then I flip them back down with their effect, to draw two cards!" Lunacy said.

"Not a bad idea, but you forgot my Silent Magician," Will stated. "She gets a magic counter each time the opponent draws. Now she has three; one from the card you drew at the start of your turn, and two more from the Guard Penalties. Each counter raises her attack by 500 as well." (2500/1000)

"A back-up plan! What a twist!" Lunacy exclaimed. "Nothing to do for it! Go on, take your turn!"

Will thought for a moment, and then smiled. "Now is the time to have Neo use his Deck Master ability."

"I'm on it!" Neo said. Fire shot out of his staff, surrounding Silent Magician.

"Neo can give one of my cards that uses magic counters one counter on each of my standby phases," Will explained. (3000/1000) "Then I'll summon Magical Armor Exe." (2400/1400)

"Now, now, I can't just let you do that!" Lunacy said with flourish. "I activate a trap card, Gravity Release! This switches the modes of every face-up monster on the field, so both your monsters go to defense mode!" (1500/500) (1200/700)

Will nodded. "I thought you would have something like that. I switch Silent Magician back to attack mode. You see, Magical Armor Exe can't even attack the turn he is summoned."

"Clever, or so you think!" Lunacy said. "But is it really? Did you accomplish what you truly wanted?"

"I believe so," Will said. "I also flip over Black Power Stone before ending."

As Lunacy drew, Will said, "My Silent Magician Lv 4 now has five magic counters, and her stats are normal again. (3500/1000) I also remove a counter from Black Power Stone for Magical Armor Exe; he requires that I remove one magic counter on the field during every standby phase."

"That is of no importance!" Lunacy said dismissingly. "I lay one monster in defense mode and one card down!"

"Actually, it makes all the difference," Will said. "Since my Silent Magician Lv 4 has five magic counters, her effect activates! I can sacrifice her to special summon Silent Magician Lv 8 from my hand!" (3500/1000)

"Sacrificing one monster for one that is no different? How illogical! I activate an instant magic card, Book of the Moon!" Lunacy cried. "It flips her to face down defense mode!"

The Silent Magician lifted her staff, sending out a wave of magic that tore apart the Book of the Moon.

"Silent Magician Lv 8 cannot be affected by your magic cards," Will informed him. "That is why I wanted her. My Magical Armor Exe required me to remove another counter. I switch him to attack mode. Then I bring forth Neo!"

"All right!" Neo leapt onto the field. (2400/2000)

"Magical Armor Exe attacks your defense monster!" Will said. He recognized the monster as Swarm of Scarab Beetles. (500/1000) "Then Neo attacks, destroying your Royal Bodyguards!" Neo obliged, roasting the monster. "And upon his attack, I activate my trap card, Magician's Circle! When a Magic-User Subtype attacks, it is activated. We each special summon a Magic-User with 2000 or less attack. I'll take another Blood Magician!"

"I have none!" Lunacy said, laughing.

"Why is he so confident?" Draken said.

"He has lost his mind," Zack stated. "He has nothing to fear now."

Larka looked up at Zack worriedly, and then turned to her Duel Disk, quietly inserting a card.

"My Blood Magician attacks directly! Then Silent Magician Lv 8 finishes you off!" Will said.

The two monsters moved in unison, each blasting Lunacy harshly.

Will: 1550

Lunacy: 0

Lunacy remained kneeling for a moment, but then began to chuckle softly, and then outright laughed as he leapt up. "Is that all? Is that the only thing you are capable of? Winning a GAME? Life itself is a game; can you win that as well? No! It is the one game that only has losers!" Lunacy suddenly slammed a card into his Duel Disk. A Chained Boomerang appeared in his hand. Before anyone could react, he threw it at Will.

Yet instead of hitting Will, it ran into a rainbow-colored barrier. Everyone looked to see Larka's hand on her Duel Disk, where she had activated the card Holy Life Barrier.

"So, you wish to play too? Be my guest!" Lunacy inserted another card swiftly. A harsh gust of wind slammed into them all, sending them to the ground with gasps. "Itaqua's Gale should prevent outer interference, wouldn't you agree?" He flung the Chained Boomerang again. This time, it wrapped around Larka's arm and pulled her over to him with a yelp.

"Larka!" Zack shouted, trying to rise. But the wind was still in effect, and he was sent to the ground again.

"That sore loser!" Draken growled, trying to grab a card. The wind made it nearly impossible to even move though, let alone get what he needed.

"No… this can't happen!" Hope protested as Malon whined frantically.

Lunacy took a firm grip on Larka's arm and held up the bladed section of the Chained Boomerang. "How interesting to see one like yourself volunteer! So young, yet so prepared to face reality…" He brought back his hand, ready to strike. Larka could only watch in frozen horror.

That was when spears of purple slammed into Lunacy from every angle, sending him reeling away with a high-pitched scream, instantly letting go of Larka. She stumbled back, unable to turn away from the gruesome scene. The purple spears became fluid and whip-like, throwing both Lunacy and Insanity's bleeding corpses into the white abyss, where they disappeared without a sound.

To be continued…


	5. Guardian

SPRING BREAK! I LOVE SPRING BREAK! Just got out yesterday!

I've been wanting to do this chapter and the ones to follow for quite some time, so I'm continuing my writing spree. Onwards!

**Chapter Five: Guardian**

It took a few seconds for Larka to comprehend what had just happened. She shakily looked towards where Lunacy had been thrown, but there was no sign of him, except for a few blood stains upon the ground.

"Larka!" Zack ran up, glancing over her in concern. "Are you all right?"

"Y-yes… I think so…" Larka managed to say.

"What just happened?" Draken asked as everyone else went over as well, Malon diving into Larka's arms. "Was that a trap card or something, Larka?"

"N-no… I didn't do that…" Larka trailed off, staring in the direction the spears had come from. The others turned to look as well.

Approaching them was a woman. She wore an emerald-green short-sleeved shirt with dark-brown shorts and black shoes; normal enough clothing, all things considered. The only odd garment was a sky-blue scarf that was wrapped around her neck, with one end hanging down her back. What managed to stand out even more was her dark purple hair, which descended to her shoulder blades in waves, and her yellow eyes, which were narrowed as she gazed at each person in turn before locking onto Larka.

The woman halted in front of Larka, which caused Zack to move forward a bit, body tense. Everyone else remained still.

After a moment, the woman spoke, her voice sounding almost robotic. "Substitute confirmed. Acts of defending properly used. Target destroyed. Returning to normal mode." She blinked once, and her eyes lost their intensity. "Default orders complete. Awaiting new commands."

"I know I've said this a lot today, but I repeat once more… what the hell?" Rue said.

"Do you know her, Larka?" Kisara asked.

Larka shook her head slowly. "I have never seen her…" Then her eyes lit up. "Wait… on second thought… I think I might have…"

"I know I have," Will stated.

Everyone turned towards him. "What do you mean?" Max asked.

"Right before we saw the effects of the deletion, I had a vision," Will explained. "This woman was emerging from water. Before I could tell of it, we saw the sky, and that drove the sight from my mind."

"Can't blame you for that," Gaston commented, glancing at the white.

Larka was still gazing at the woman in wonder. "Who are you?"

The woman responded in a matter-of-fact tone at once. "I am the core of Teknisk Wereld, often referred to as its heart. Codename, the Guardian. Name amongst humans, Angela."

"…Say WHAT?" Rue exclaimed.

"The core of Teknisk Wereld? What do you mean?" Hope said.

"You… aren't human, are you?" Larka said softly.

"No. I am data," Angela replied. "Teknisk Wereld required a core to be built around. It also needed an ultimate defense system to make sure it was never at risk of being deleted. I am that system."

"Whoa! How come I have never heard of this?" Draken said.

"I think I heard someone from the officials mention 'the heart of Teknisk Wereld' before, but he did not know much about it," Zack commented. "This must be a last resort that the officials did not want anyone to know about."

"Correct. Nobody was to know of me except for the Creator, his family, and certain officials," Angela stated. "Since you are not of the Creator's family, there is an 87.6521946 percent probability that you are an official. Furthermore, there is a 99.583109349 percent probability that you were ordered to be a substitute."

"The numbers! They hurt my brain!" Rue complained.

"You have a brain?" Draken said in fake astonishment. "Wow! I had no idea!"

"You're asking for it," Rue growled, tapping his Duel Disk pointedly.

Larka shook her head. "While it is true that I work with the officials, I do not know what you mean by a substitute."

"In the event of the Creator being unable to contact me, or dying, I am to take my orders from a substitute," Angela explained. "If there are any family members, one is chosen to be the substitute. In the event that there is not, another person is selected. The last person to have physical contact with where I slept is the substitute."

Larka blushed. "Oh no! Then this is all a misunderstanding! I found you by accident!"

"The location I was in is nearly impossible to find," Angela said. "There is a 99.999999999999…"

"Please, could you round to two decimal points?" Larka said quickly. "Or at least keep it to two?"

"As you wish," Angela said, her expressionless face not changing. "There is a 99.99 percent probability that the only way it could be discovered was to be told of it."

"Technically, I was," Larka said.

"Are you serious? You really found… um… can we call you Angela?" Hope requested to her.

"That is the name I was assigned so that humans could interact with me if necessary," Angela stated. "Use it if you wish."

"Right. Well… you really found Angela, Larka?" Hope asked.

"Yeah, I think so… I found a crystal formation in the waters one day," Larka said. "She was inside it."

"The lake? No wonder it would be hard to find! That thing is vast!" Rue exclaimed.

"More specifically, Larka said 'the waters'," Will stated. "But if no further clarification is needed, we can assume she meant the lake."

Larka did not respond, but she was relieved that Will had not tried to press her. She did not want to give away Brandi's secret location… well, if it was even secret now.

That caused another worry to come to mind. "Where is Brandi?" Larka said. "She came running this way…"

"You're right," Max said grimly. "We have to find her, quickly. Who knows what would have happened if she had been caught in that?"

"It has never happened before. Therefore, there are no records on this information," Angela said.

"Either way, it can't be good," Hope said, looking towards a rough path that led down the mountain. "Should we start looking for her?"

"Right away," Larka said worriedly. "She might be…"

Larka was interrupted when Brandi suddenly sprang up and over a ledge that had been near the path, landing with her hands held up in a perfect pose. "TA-DA!"

"Brandi!" Larka exclaimed. "You made it!"

"Yep!" Brandi said with a smile. "I was saved by…" She turned towards the path and trailed off. "…Um… where did she go?"

"Where did who go?" Mana called down from above, up on a cliff.

"What the… how did you get up there?" Brandi shouted up at her.

"How did I do what?" Mana said in her ear, right next to her.

Larka jumped back with a surprised gasp as Malon barked in alarm and Brandi spun around with an expression of annoyance. "Stop that!"

"Stop what?" Mana said from behind her, grinning.

This time, Brandi was able to grab her before she could move. "How are you appearing around me randomly?"

Mana laughed. "Well, if you really want to know… I can now teleport! That is how I saved you earlier."

Brandi's eye twitched. "Then why didn't you tell me sooner, so that we didn't have to hike up the entire mountain?"

"Speak for yourself! I did so, a little at a time, and you never asked!" Mana said with a wink.

The rest of the group had been staring in complete disbelief. Angela broke the silence by saying, "Unable to identify as friend or foe. Standing by for orders to attack if necessary."

That allowed Neo to finally speak up. "Who are you?"

Mana stared at him. "Um… actually, it's more like… who are YOU?"

"And who is that?" Brandi asked, looking at Angela.

"Argh! This is too confusing!" Rue groaned as Draken slapped his forehead in exasperation.

"This is Mana," Brandi explained, causing everyone to go silent again.

"Mana?" Max went a bit closer, looking amazed. "But how…?"

"I was never dead!" Mana said. "Just in a coma. I finally came out of it to save Brandi. Now I'm a Magician's Valkyria."

"I knew it," Will said. "Her personality was too similar, as was her appearance…"

"Well, I didn't!" Neo said. "That would explain why you don't know who I am! I'm Neo!"

"Oh my gosh! You are! How are you doing?" Mana said.

"Pretty good, actually… except when I accidentally blew up Will's grill yesterday…" Neo muttered before raising his voice. "And you?"

"Not bad, considering I've been out of it for about seven years," Mana replied. "I still need to catch up on that, especially to see how you changed and such."

"That's a long story," Neo said. "But we can explain everything la-"

"NEO!" Mana cut him off.

Neo blinked. "What?"

A smack resonated through the mountains, along with Mana's shout of, "STOP CHECKING OUT MY CURVES YOU PERVERT!"

"Ow… that sure brings back memories…" Neo groaned as he rubbed the side of his face. "But I wasn't, darn it!"

Angela stepped forward. "Sensing hostility from one of the two new arrivals. Should I counterattack?"

"Please don't!" Larka said hurriedly. "They're friends!"

"Very well. Standing down." Angela halted.

"Seriously, who is that?" Brandi asked.

"Her name is Angela, and she saved me from a man…" Larka paused. "Wait… Angela, how did you do that?"

"Please clarify what you are inquiring on," Angela requested.

"How did you kill Lunacy? That was the name of the man who attacked me," Larka explained to Brandi, who had looked bewildered.

"A demonstration would be easier to explain with," Angela stated. "Please select a target."

"Rue!" Draken called.

"HELL NO!" Rue responded.

"Um… how about that?" Larka said, indicating to a large boulder that lay nearby.

Angela blinked, and her eyes were narrow once more. "Target locked on. Switching to combat mode." At those words, the ends of her hair suddenly shot forward, piercing straight through the boulder so swiftly that it was dissolved to dust in less than a moment. Then her hair recoiled, returning to the length it had been before.

"HOLY CRAP!" Rue yelped into the stunned silence.

"…Wow. I nearly killed Rue. I mean REALLY killed," Draken said in awe.

"Twice in one day… are you out to get me or something?" Rue asked.

Draken shook his head. "You're slow as heck, you know that?"

"You attack… with…" Hope trailed off as Angela closed her eyes.

"Returning to normal mode." She opened them, looking much more docile. "I am able to extend the human body part, known as hair, to whatever length I desire in quick fashion. This is done by rewriting my data structure to a small degree, which results in swift attacks."

"Good grief," Gaston said, still looking amazed.

"You said someone attacked you? Why?" Brandi asked.

"We were investigating the area to see if we could find who was responsible for the deleting," Darche said. "That was when we ran into two people. One called himself Kai, and he seemed to be in charge. The other guy was Lunacy, a deranged man that dueled Will."

"It seems Kai plays a large roll in what has been happening," Will said. "Either way, I won the duel. Lunacy tried to kill me, which Larka interfered with… by the way, thanks."

"I'm glad I could help," Larka replied.

"He tried to attack her instead, but Angela interfered," Hope finished.

"Why did you stop him?" Larka asked Angela.

"There were three primary reasons to kill him," Angela said. "One, he was responsible for helping to delete Teknisk Wereld. Two, he was trying to harm the substitute, who is one of my top priorities to protect. Three, I am to attempt to save any human that is not trying to harm Teknisk Wereld."

"Are those default commands?" Kazel inquired, looking interested.

"Yes. My most important one is self preservation," Angela stated. "Under no circumstance am I to risk my own life. If I go too far, I will be warned and will react accordingly. After that, I must do everything in my power to protect Teknisk Wereld and keep it intact, including killing those who try to destroy it. After that, I must protect the Creator, his family, or the substitute. After that, I must follow all orders they give me. After that, I must protect any human that is not involved with harming Teknisk Wereld. Anything else comes after all of those."

"My head is spinning again," Rue complained.

Will looked at Angela thoughtfully. "Larka, we have a great advantage now."

"What do you mean?" Larka asked.

"Angela is going to listen to almost anything you ask of her," Will stated. "Do you realize what potential that gives us for trying to find out who did this?"

"But I don't feel comfortable giving her orders!" Larka protested. "What if I make a wrong decision?"

"Then you don't have to decide by yourself," Will said. "As long as you are the one saying the command, it should be ok. We can help you choose what to say. Angela is surely intelligent, but I have noticed that she seems to lack something: emotions."

"That is correct," Angela agreed. "I have been programmed to have no emotions."

"Therefore, we have advantages that she doesn't," Will said. "What if Kai, or anyone else he has with him, tries to force her into a duel? Also, what if they know of her existence? This way, we can help. We may also provide an element of surprise. Any plans they had to deal with Angela will be thrown off if we are assisting."

"Will wins again at the logic game," Draken commented.

"Yes… you are right," Larka said, relaxing slightly. "Thanks."

"The question is, what should we do next?" Zack said.

Larka thought for a moment, and then set down Malon, who gave a small whine of protest as she took out his Soul Card and gave it to Zack. "I actually wanted to check something. If Brandi comes with me, I could explain to her just who Angela is, since she missed it."

"Where would you be going?" Zack asked in concern as he accepted the card. "This does not seem to be a good time to split up… what if Kai finds the two of you alone?"

"Not where we would be going, I assume," Larka said. "It is where I found Angela, so I doubt they would know the location. I was thinking that Mana could teleport us there so that we could return quickly."

Zack gazed at her for a long moment, and then sighed. "If you must. But please hurry. I don't like the sound of this."

Max nodded. "Yeah. Be careful."

"Don't worry, we will be," Brandi assured. "Ready to go, Mana?"

"Any time!" Mana replied.

"Should I accompany you, in the event of something occurring?" Angela inquired. "There is still a 32.69 percent probability that you may be attacked on the way there by at least a wild monster."

"I highly doubt that," Larka said. "Why don't you stay with everyone else? Guard them. If anyone tries to attack, stop them, ok?"

"Affirmative," Angela answered.

"Return soon," Max said. Hearing the concern in his voice, Tenma got up from where he had been lying and went next to him.

Apparently, Mana was still terrified of Demons, because she shrieked, grabbing Brandi and Larka before vanishing. Malon was left to bark in protest for being kept behind.

…

They appeared about halfway down the mountain, but Mana teleported again at once, taking them to the foot. One more teleportation took them into the forest.

"It looks like your fear of Demons hasn't lessened," Brandi said, looking annoyed at the sudden departure.

"I can't help it!" Mana cried. "Who was that?"

"Tenma, Max's Soul Monster," Brandi answered.

"What? But Olympion…" Mana protested.

"Hope healed Max, since his soul had been damaged by the loss of Olympion, along with what Thanatos did," Brandi explained. "Some of her soul, mainly from Gaston, helped to reform Olympion as Tenma, an End of Anubis."

Mana shuddered. "Great… to hear…"

"Better get used to him." Brandi turned to Larka. "Why did you want me to come? It wasn't just for the teleporting benefits or the explaining, right?"

"No. You're the only one who I can go with," Larka said. "I wanted to look at the place where I saw Angela before. That was the Elemental Spring."

Brandi's eyes widened in realization. "Oh, now I remember! You did say something about a woman when I took you there!"

"Yes, I did," Larka confirmed. "I can show you where that is now."

"Sounds good," Brandi said, heading in the direction of the tree that would lead them to the spring. Larka and Mana followed her.

As they walked, Larka gave a quick run down of what they had learned about Angela. Brandi remained silent until she was done, and then said, "I think Will is right in that case. We should take advantage of our good luck."

"Yeah…" Larka could not think of much else to say to that.

They soon found the tree and entered it without hesitation, jumping into the tunnel. After a short walk, they emerged into the tropical area with the spring.

Brandi sat down at the edge, letting her legs dangle in the water. "I don't really want to get my clothes wet, so could you go in and indicate to the area?"

"If you insist," Larka said with a shrug. She leapt into the spring head-first, and then began to swim around the spring a few times as a warm-up.

Mana went next to Brandi, getting in the same position as she ran her fingers through the water. "It's great to be back here."

"Yeah," Brandi agreed. "I haven't been here since… you went into a coma, so-AH!" With a yell of surprise, she was pulled off the rocks and into the water.

Brandi managed to surface and looked around irritatingly. She quickly caught sight of Larka, who was laughing next to her.

"That wasn't funny!" Brandi said.

"Your reaction alone made it worth it! Seriously, you were asking for that when you mentioned your clothes," Larka giggled.

Brandi tried to stay mad, but couldn't bring herself to and broke out laughing as well. "All right, maybe I did. Well, since I'm already in, you might as well bring me straight to it."

"Ok! This way!" Larka submerged again, and Brandi went right after her. Mana went in too for the heck of it.

Larka swam to the bottom of the lake, indicating to a crevice in the wall. They were able to see some of the crystal pieces still scattered about on the ground, while the back of the hole was still outlined in it. Brandi nodded, and they went back to the surface.

After getting onto dry land once more, Brandi said, "I never went down that far, so it's no wonder I didn't notice her before."

"Same here," Mana seconded.

"I was curious enough to look around." Larka scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "And look where we ended up due to it…"

"You had no way of knowing," Brandi replied. "And as we all said, it's a benefit for us now."

"But what if the original substitute was expecting Angela to come to him or her when this occurred?" Larka said. "This might have messed up their plans…"

"We can't help that now," Mana spoke up. "What's done is done. We just have to take advantage of it as best as we can."

"I guess you're right," Larka said, standing. "I'm pretty much dry already… shall we go back?"

"Let's," Brandi answered as she and Mana rose.

As they turned to the tunnel, a sudden shriek broke through the tranquility. They looked up in alarm, and saw a large, dark blue dragon. It looked almost like a serpent with two decently-sized wings with red skin. Its underbelly was yellow, as were the three wicked claws on each of its feet. Its red, pupil-less eyes glared at them as it circled once in the sky before descending in front of them.

A man jumped off of the dragon's head. He wore a red long-sleeved shirt with dark green pants and white shoes. What stuck out was a gold mask that covered his face, which looked like a dragon's head. His face matched up with it in such a way that his mouth was visible due to the dragon's mouth being open, but that was it.

"It seems you were about to leave, so I took it upon myself to interfere," the man said with a smirk.

Brandi and Larka stepped back, each reaching towards their Duel Disk. "Who are you?" Brandi demanded.

"My name is Seiryu, and I am the leader of the Judges," he stated.

"The Judges?" Larka said. "What are those?"

"We are a group that, as our name suggests, passes judgment upon others," Seiryu told them. "Many of us have had our eyes on Teknisk Wereld for quite some time. After a certain individual told us that we were wanted to help delete it, how could we resist?"

"Someone hired you?" Brandi inferred.

"In a sense. We don't accept every offer that comes our way; only the ones that interest us," Seiryu said. "This one ranked quite high on our priority list." He paused, and then said, "When we found the Guardian had left, we decided to wait to see who would come to investigate this area. It seems that you three are the lucky winners… or, more accurately, the unlucky ones." His eyes flashed in Brandi and Larka's direction. "You will both be valuable assets to helping dispose of the entire group you travel with. It is not like we can let you all get away when you know the truth, after all."

"W-what?" Larka said nervously.

Brandi flared up at once. "You want to take us? We won't let you!"

"Yeah! Stay away from them!" Mana yelled, leaping at Seiryu with her staff at the ready.

That turned out to be a bad idea. Seiryu's dragon reacted by sending out a blast of darkness, causing Mana to be knocked back.

"My Soul Monster is an Evil Knight Dragon named Ryuujin," Seiryu stated. "I doubt you will be able to defeat him by yourselves."

"Try us!" Mana shouted, raising her staff again. But before she could attack, the ground beneath her turned into what looked like a black whirlpool. Two strands of dark energy went up Mana's body, causing her to gasp and slump to the ground.

"Mana! What happened?" Brandi asked worriedly.

"I feel… like I've lost… all my power…" Mana said wearily, trying to rise but failing.

Two people that emerged from the side instantly caught their attention. They both wore black robes, which looked like wizard robes, and had matching cloaks draped over their shoulders along with brown shoes. In fact, they were practically identical, except for their hair and eye color. The first one had green hair and blue eyes, while the second had blue hair and green eyes.

"I knew my idea about Energy Drain was a good one," the blue haired one said with a smirk.

"Shut up Kasmaru, I'm in charge! And I said we should use Energy Drain to disable their monster!" the green haired one declared, which caused his companion to give him an annoyed look.

"Alamaru and Kasmaru, also known as the Black Magician Brothers," Seiryu stated. "They are two of our strongest members. As you can see, you are completely outnumbered now."

"Especially with our Soul Monsters!" Alamaru said as two more figures appeared. The first one was a figure dressed in an elegant yellow, orange, and red suit with white and black designs near his neck and at his waist. He had a red cape and carried a staff with a metal ball at the end, which had three small spikes producing from it. His head was a complete contrast to the rest of his gentleman-like appearance; it was purple and orange, with a single red eye in the center, and two horns coming from the sides.

The other one was just as disturbing. He had a gold body that was shaped more like some elegant piece of art than a human's, unlike his partner's appearance. Black markings were all over his body. He had a blue garment around his waist, along with blue gloves and a long dark-green cape. Around his neck was a lime green ring of sorts. Three red and black-striped horns came from his head, one from each side and one from the top. The ones on each side had a green hoop earring. He also had only one eye, but this one looked more like a carving than a real one.

Larka instantly knew that they had no chance of winning against these odds. She slid her hand towards her support cards. "Brandi, you have to run! Get out of here while I distract them!"

"No way!" Brandi retorted. "I'm not going to leave you here, nor Mana! Only if you come too will I attempt such a thing!"

"…It may be harder this way… but all right," Larka said, turning towards the tunnel to see if the route to it was clear. Her heart sank as she saw yet another two figures emerge from it.

The first one was a tall, well-muscled man. He lacked a shirt, but had bandages wrapped around the wrist of his left arm and a metal gauntlet on his right one. Matching the gauntlet were two metal leg guards, and he had dark brown sandals. A green and blue cloth was wrapped in a fashion that made him look as though he was wearing a cross between shorts and a skirt. It was held in place by a yellow belt with several spike-like ornaments. His brown hair was kept back in a thin ponytail, and he gazed coolly at them with light-brown eyes.

Next to him was a huge lion that stood on two legs, almost in a human structure. He had four fingers on each hand, with a white claw on every one. His fur was light-brown, except for the hair-like material that went down his back, which was a much darker shade. His eyes were pitch-black, and gleamed with ferocity.

"You are boxed in," Seiryu stated as they turned back to him. "Trapped, in other words." He paused once more for emphasis, and then said, "Take them."

"I believe the best way to do this would be with Merlin's powers…" Kasmaru said.

"Shut up Kasmaru, I'm in charge!" Alamaru interrupted. "And I say that Merlin seems like the best choice for this!"

Kasmaru gave him another glare before gesturing to the Soul Monster with the staff. "This is a Magical Mentor J. Do you know what he is capable of? I assume not. So I will allow you to find out first-hand."

The Soul Monster, who was apparently the Merlin they had spoken of, raised his staff and pointed it at Brandi. A pink gas emerged from it at once, headed towards her. But before it could reach her, Larka swiftly got in front of Brandi, and was hit full force. Her eyes widened momentarily, and then she fell back, where Brandi managed to catch her.

"Larka!" Brandi exclaimed. Larka did not respond though; she seemed to be completely unconscious. It was then that Brandi noticed that she felt rather… tired. So tired that she felt like passing out herself…

"Merlin can use sleeping gas," Kasmaru explained as Brandi struggled to remain awake. "It is futile to resist."

Brandi tried to step towards him, but the other Soul Monster appeared in front of her without warning. Its eye began to glow, which caused Brandi's eyes to roll back before she fell too, collapsing without a sound.

"Dark-Eyes Illusionist, by the name of Houdini," Alamaru declared. "Nothing can resist his hypnotic powers!"

"Um, they are unconscious," Kasmaru pointed out.

"Of course they are! What of it?" Alamaru said. Kasmaru merely sighed.

"Alamaru, take the girl you just knocked out," Seiryu ordered. "Kasmaru, you handle the other one. Pariah, the Soul Monster is yours. We are leaving this area. Obsidian and Crucio are waiting in the forest. That will be the perfect amount for what we are going to do."

The man with the lion as a Soul Monster, who was apparently Pariah, nodded and silently lifted Mana, who was still conscious but too weak to even speak. Alamaru picked up Brandi, and Kasmaru got Larka. Then they headed into the tunnel.

…

Despite what Keith had said about deletion, there was a certain other duo that had not left when Teknisk Wereld had been breaking apart. In fact, that announcement had been the deciding factor for them. They wanted to find just who was responsible for it. That was, after all, part of their job.

"Miles, are you sure this is a good area to look in?" Gen asked as they went through the forest. He was glancing around the trees anxiously, as if he was waiting for something to spring out at any moment.

Miles ran his hand through his light-brown hair, which he had kept rather short. His clothing was still focused on being dark, for he had a dark-grey short-sleeved shirt and black shorts on. Around his neck was his customary red bandana though, which still stood out like a beacon. His green eyes were narrowed in concentration. "I don't know. Something tells me that they would not stick around the area they just deleted though. So I just chose an area I knew well in hopes that we might find something."

Gen shrugged. "Well, I have no better ideas."

"Wonder if everyone else got out…" Miles commented as they went on. "Knowing them, they probably stayed in despite the warnings and went to investigate."

"Probably," Gen agreed. "Hopefully they will not run into trouble."

"Unfortunately, they seem to have a knack for finding it," Miles sighed. "As do I."

"This time, you are voluntarily looking for it," Gen pointed out.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Either way, I'm worried about them," Miles stated.

"Then go see them," Gen suggested.

"I've already told you why I can't do that!" Miles said in a harsh tone. Then his expression softened. "Ah… sorry. I'm at my last wits…"

"No need to apologize; we both are," Gen replied. "Let us just get this over with quickly."

"Amen to that," Miles said.

They continued forward in silence. For some time, all they heard were their soft footsteps against the dirt.

The quiet was lost when a voice suddenly drifted to them. "…should have been back by now. What is keeping them?"

Miles and Gen glanced at each other, nodded, and then slowly went forward, keeping to the shadows.

Soon they got close enough to see two men standing there. One of them appeared to be some sort of strongman. He had on a grey short-sleeved shirt that showed all of his muscles clearly, along with dark brown shorts. His black hair was long enough to throw his face into shadows, giving him a disturbing appearance. But Miles was able to see that his eyes were dark brown.

The other man was about as opposite as one could get of the first. He had on a white lab coat on, with black pants showing slightly. His short black hair was rather neat, which went with his spotless coat nicely. He also had black wire-rimmed glasses on, but those did nothing to hide his light blue eyes. Those eyes disturbed Miles; they seemed almost innocent at first glance due to their shade, yet while staring at them, he felt as though as though something monstrous lurked beneath them…

"Be patient, Obsidian," the man in the lab coat said coolly, pushing up his glasses. "They will arrive in a timely manner."

"Hmph. Easy enough for you to say; you've practiced the art of waiting almost every day of your life, Crucio," Obsidian stated.

"I will not deny that," Crucio said simply, not turning towards him.

Miles gestured to Gen, indicating to a tree nearby them. Gen nodded in confirmation and then quickly and quietly scaled up it. Miles followed him after a moment. They each got on a different limb. There was enough foliage to guarantee that they would not be seen unless someone looked at where they were for several seconds. On the other hand, they were able to see the proceedings rather well.

After a few minutes had passed, Crucio looked in the direction Miles and Gen had come from. "There they are."

"At last!" Obsidian said as a large group emerged. "What took so long?"

"It was some time before they showed up," Seiryu stated.

Miles frowned as he tried to get a closer look at the four new men and their Soul Monsters that had appeared. That was when he saw what Alamaru and Kasmaru were holding. Miles shot up, but before he could give away their position, Gen swiftly covers his mouth with his hand. The curse Miles was about to yell became a muffled noise that was completely masked by Obsidian speaking again.

"Two of them! That should be perfect!"

"Yes, it should," Seiryu agreed. "Obsidian, you get the one Alamaru has." Alamaru handed Brandi to Obsidian. "You also need to take care of her Soul Monster, who Pariah has."

"Understood, Seiryu," Obsidian replied, flinging Brandi over his shoulder and taking Mana into his arms. Miles had managed to get a hold on himself by now, so he carefully moved Gen's hand off his mouth and stared in amazement at Mana for a moment before switching his gaze to Kasmaru, who was talking.

"She has been weakened by Energy Drain. It should last for a very long time."

"That will be fine, Kasmaru," Obsidian said.

"And of course, it was all my idea," Alamaru stated, giving Kasmaru another excuse to glare daggers at him.

"The other is mine?" Crucio asked.

Kasmaru gave him Larka. "Yes."

Seiryu shook his head. "I don't envy them, that's for sure. You both know of what you are going to do?"

"By heart," Obsidian said with a smirk.

"I have a good idea of what I wish to test," Crucio stated, looking over Larka in interest. "If perfected completely, her mind will be shattered completely and permanently by the time your plan has been set into motion."

"I hate it when you get that look in your eye," Seiryu said, grimacing.

Crucio looked back up at him, with a cold smile that made Miles' body freeze, captivated by the man's gleaming eyes. "Be happy that it is not directed towards you."

"Hmph." Seiryu turned away from him, not showing fear if he even felt it. "Obsidian, you are to stay at the island with the volcano. Crucio, go to the canyons."

"Ah, perfect," Crucio said, his smile widening. "The cave of the dead… that is beyond what I had hoped for. Thank you for such helpful grounds." He glanced at Larka again. "By the way… what of her Soul Monster?"

"She didn't have one with her; who knows where it is," Seiryu said with a shrug. "Is there a problem with that?"

"Hardly. I merely wanted to make sure that there were not any extra factors to dispose of," Crucio stated before walking away.

When he was out of sight, Obsidian shivered. "What is with him?"

"Who knows how his mind works," Kasmaru said. "Sometimes, I think he's crazier than Lunacy. That is what is most frightening of all."

"Speaking of him, where did Lunacy go?" Alamaru asked.

"Kai and Lunacy went to see how much damage the deletion had done," Seiryu explained.

"That explains. Well, I am going to get started with her," Obsidian said, eyeing Brandi. "See the rest of you later." He headed off in the direction he had been assigned.

"So, we are going to have someone go to the group to inform them of their captured companions?" Kasmaru asked Seiryu.

"Correct. They will be forced to surrender, for fear of their friends dying," Seiryu replied. "Despite that, I believe a scapegoat should be sent to deliver the news, in case their temper gets the better of them."

"Who will that be?" Kasmaru inquired.

"Heinskitz," Seiryu answered.

Kasmaru smirked. "Good choice. I still wonder how the hell he got a spot amongst the Judges."

"Despite his… questionable… personality, he is a good enough duelist," Seiryu said, his eye twitching. "Anyway, I will tell Heinskitz to go to the group to demand their surrender. If he does not return in a certain timeframe, we can assume he has died. If that is the case, we will kill the two prisoners. Otherwise, everything should go according to plan. Now, let us leave. We have work to do."

"Of course," Kasmaru said. Alamaru shrugged while Pariah nodded. Then they all walked off, their Soul Monsters following them.

Miles and Gen waited in their hiding place for a good three minutes before finally moving. After climbing down the tree, Miles instantly said, "What did I tell you?"

"A lot. Anything in particular you want me to remember?" Gen inquired.

"The quote that had to do with them always getting in trouble," Miles said, glaring in the direction that Seiryu and his minions had left.

"Ah, that. Yes, I would have to agree with you completely," Gen said. "The question is, what are we going to do about it?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Miles instantly began to go back the way he had come. "We tell them everything we just heard. If we're quick, we can make it there before that Heinskitz guy does. That way, we could come up with a way to get around this."

"But Miles, you know what this means…" Gen trailed off as Miles held up his hand.

"I know. It's basically ruining everything I was trying to accomplish to this point," Miles said. "Nevertheless… this is vital. Brandi and Larka will die if we don't act fast. Either that, or all of the group will. You remember how I feel about that, right? It would be like intentionally killing them."

"Yes, you are completely right. This is definitely the best course to take," Gen replied as they continued through the forest. "I still regret that your efforts were in vain though."

Miles shrugged. "Ah well. It couldn't be hidden forever. Max, Larka, or Zack would have eventually noticed anyway."

Gen glanced at him. "You were just waiting for an excuse to go find them again, weren't you?"

"Well… all right, I'll admit it… HELL YES I WAS!" Miles said before taking off running.

Gen shook his head. "I swear, he hasn't grown up in the slightest when it comes to his personality…" Then Gen went after him.

…

"What is taking them so long?" Rue complained once more.

"You've asked that eighteen times now," Will stated. "And for the eighteenth time, I will answer you by saying there is no way of knowing."

Zack glanced at the sky worriedly. "Still, it has been nearly thirty minutes… with Mana teleporting, surely they should be back by now?"

"Apparently not," Gaston said. "Fretting about it won't help either. Please try to relax, Zack. I'm sure they will be back soon."

"…I hope so. I cannot help but get a very bad feeling about all of this," Zack replied, giving the sky another concerned look. Malon, who was lying next to him, whined softly.

Hope looked over at Angela, who was still standing at the top of the mountain path. "How are you doing?"

"All systems clear," Angela stated. "My current condition is at 100 percent. No need for recovery of any kind."

"Um… I didn't really mean that," Hope said awkwardly. "I meant… well… aren't you bored, just standing there? Or something?"

"I am unable to answer that, since I am unsure of what the word 'bored' precisely means," Angela said. "Processing word… process complete. Bored: to be weary from a factor of dullness, repetitiveness, or tediousness. Conclusion: the word bored does not fit this situation, due to the inability for me to be weary from any of those factors."

Hope blinked several times. "Uh… I see…"

"Face it, Hope, she's not like us," Draken said. "You can't converse casually with her like you would with others."

"Still, it doesn't hurt to try!" Hope retorted.

Draken held up his hands, looking startled. "Whoa, hold on. I wasn't trying to make that an insult. It's just the truth. From what she says, she can't feel emotions like humans. That's not necessarily bad; all I'm saying is we need to be prepared to talk with her in different ways."

"That is correct. I am not programmed with the ability to speak with humans on their level of thinking," Angela said without turning. "Your comprehension is appreciated."

Hope sighed. "Sorry. I guess I'm just a bit uneasy about this whole thing."

"It's fine. I should have worded that better anyway," Draken said.

Kisara spoke up softly. "If they do not return soon, should we go to look for them?"

"Good idea," Neo said. "How about we give them thirty more minutes?"

"That seems fair," Kazel agreed. "Would you not agree, Zack?"

"…Very well," Zack replied.

Angela's voice cut through them. "Life forms approaching. Identifying… there is two. Both are unknown. Commence attack?"

"If it's more of those goons, maybe we can kill them before they even make it here!" Rue suggested.

"And if it's an official or an innocent, we would end up with murder on our heads," Draken said dryly.

Will thought for a moment, and then said, "Could you restrain them as they come up without hurting them?"

"If that is what you wish," Angela said.

"Do that," Will decided. "Then we can decide how to handle them."

"Command acknowledged. Decreasing power level by 50 percent to avoid risk of injuries," Angela stated. "Will attack in ten seconds."

Everyone waited in silent anticipation until Angela said, "Targets close enough to commence attack." Then her hair shot forward in six rope-like strands, whipping down the mountain path. A moment later, they all heard two shouts from below.

"Secured. Bringing targets forward for examination." Angela retracted her hair until the two figures came into view, in which she flung them onto the ground a few feet in front of her, still secured by the rope-like strands.

The group stared in stunned silence as Miles managed to lift his face from the ground, coughing a few times. "What a welcome…"

"Miles?" Draken said in disbelief.

"Obviously! Do you know anyone else who has a White Thief as a Soul Monster?" Miles said in an irritated tone.

"He has a point," Gen said as he managed to rise to his knees, arms still restrained.

"Angela, it's all right, he's a friend!" Hope called to her.

"No, keep him like that for longer!" Rue suggested. That earned him a smack over the head with Will's book. "Ow! Hey, he deserves it for not contacting us sooner!"

"I can explain that when you get her to let go of me!" Miles said.

"Conflicting orders. Unsure of how to proceed," Angela said.

"Release both of them," Zack told her. "Hope is right, they are old friends of ours."

"Affirmative." Angela released Miles and Gen, her hair returning to its normal shape.

Miles got up, dusting himself off. "Brutal… but I guess I can't blame you guys. You must have been wondering where I've been for some time."

"Actually, we were more concerned that you were another person who wanted to attack us," Gaston said.

"You were attacked?" Gen asked as he also rose, looking troubled.

"Yeah. According to them, they were the ones who deleted what they had of Teknisk Wereld," Darche said. "They called themselves Kai and Lunacy."

"Great. That means what we heard checks out," Miles said with a sigh. "Did you kill them?"

"Angela killed Lunacy, but Kai left before that," Will said. "Angela is the one who grabbed you, by the way."

"Yeah, what was that all about? Did she use her… HAIR?" Miles asked in bewilderment.

"Yes. You see, she is apparently the core of Teknisk Wereld…" Draken began.

Miles slapped himself over the head. "Duh! I should have known that!"

"Huh? You… knew about this?" Hope asked.

"Basically… I had better explain what I was doing all this time," Miles said. "But before that… Rue, you still owe me a dollar from the bet we made on Draken."

"Damn! I was hoping you would have forgotten about that! Fine, here," Rue grumbled, giving him the dollar.

"Thanks, just wanted to make sure I had that cleared," Miles said as he pocketed it. "Anyway, where I've been… it's the officials. I was working undercover for them. As a spy of sorts, I guess you would say."

"A spy?" Hope said in surprise.

"Yeah. You are aware that there are several illegal activities in Teknisk Wereld, right?" Miles said.

"It does get mentioned in the news a few times…" Hope recalled.

"There are tons of 'black market' areas and such. The ones that involve Teknisk Wereld… well, it's my job to find proof of illegal doings, and those are my main areas," Miles explained. "I'm pretty well known in those… areas, so I can gain trust amongst some of the law-breakers, only to turn around and tell the officials of their doings."

"That's quite a job," Draken said, looking a bit startled.

"Unfortunately, it meant that we had to keep silent about it," Gen stated. "The officials asked that we not tell anyone we know of it. In fact, cutting off all contact with companions was what they wanted."

"That's why you've been avoiding us?" Rue said in disbelief.

"Afraid so. Believe me, I didn't like it at all," Miles told them. "But I needed a job, and this was one I was good at. Also… well… never mind. It isn't necessary to talk about…" Miles trailed off, looking uncomfortable.

Will could see Miles' awkwardness, so he changed the subject. "Why did you come now then? If you have been avoiding us for this long, why suddenly change?"

"I had no intention of breaking that rule, but it was necessary after something I saw today," Miles said, his expression turning grim. "I just ask that you don't kill the messenger."

"Why would we do that?" Gaston asked.

"Because it's Miles?" Draken suggested.

"That and I nearly died by coming to your location," Miles said, wincing as he looked at Angela.

"We will not kill you," Kazel said impatiently. "Now what did you want to say?"

"Gen and I were looking around in the forest for the people who had done this," Miles said. "We were pretty sure they wouldn't be sticking around the deleted area. Too risky, and too obvious for officials that might look for them. As we searched, we found two men talking. They called themselves Obsidian and Crucio. Gen and I climbed up a nearby tree and waited to see if we could overhear anything."

"A few minutes after we arrived, a group of four came, along with their Soul Monsters," Gen continued. "Maybe the names will ring a bell? Seiryu, Alamaru, Kasmaru, or Pariah?"

"Never heard them before," Draken replied. Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Bah. Oh well," Miles said. "They mentioned Kai and Lunacy being in the mountains though, so I assume they're connected to the deletion. Anyway, I noticed that the ones called Alamaru, Kasmaru, and Pariah were each carrying someone. I looked closer, and…" He paused, bracing himself for the reactions his words would bring. "Brandi, Larka, and apparently Mana…"

"WHAT?" Max exclaimed, eyes flashing as Malon barked furiously.

A loud crack sounded through the area. They turned to see that Zack had slammed his metal hand against one of the rocks, leaving a long fissure running through it. "I knew it was a bad idea from the start! I knew that!" Then he let his hand fall as he slowly shook his head. "Yet I did nothing to stop them…"

"It's not your fault," Hope assured him. "We all thought it would be all right if they went. Even Angela did!"

"The chances of being attacked were very low," Angela stated. "I should have accompanied them. It would have lowered the possibly of them being overcome by 90 percent."

"What did they do next?" Will asked, being one of the only ones to keep his head after hearing this news.

"Brandi and… was it really Mana?" Gen inquired. "I thought she was… dead?"

"Mana was in a long coma," Darche explained. "She woke up today."

"At least there's some good news," Gen said. "Well, Brandi and Mana were handed to Obsidian, and Larka to Crucio. Seiryu-he seemed to be the leader of the group-told Obsidian to take Brandi and Mana to the island with the volcano while Crucio was instructed to bring Larka to the canyon area. Something about a cave of dead?"

"The place where we fought Morte…" Hope said, paling. "That's one of the most vile areas of Teknisk Wereld!"

"And the volcano certainly isn't a nice place to be either," Draken said grimly. "Especially with the memories Brandi has of that place…"

"They departed, and Seiryu said he would be sending someone to tell you all to surrender, or they would kill Brandi and Larka," Miles stated. "Some guy called Heinskitz was chosen. Apparently, he's an idiot, so they aren't worried if he kicks the bucket. But if he doesn't report back, they will go ahead and slaughter Brandi and Larka. That sums pretty much everything up."

"Why the hell didn't you stop them?" Max snarled.

"Why the hell do you think I didn't?" Miles retorted. "What would have happened if I had shown myself? That's right, I would have been outnumbered by at least ten to two! Add in the fact that I'm not much of a fighter, and you can see what the results would have been! I would have been killed, or possibly even captured myself! For Brandi, Larka, and Mana's sakes-as well as my own and Gen's-I thought I should find all of you and tell about it. How would you have liked it if that Heinskitz moron showed up and reported all this? We would have been without options!"

"Miles is right, for once," Will stated.

"FOR ONCE?" Miles protested, but Will ignored him.

"This way, we have a chance to save them," Will continued. "Miles, what condition were they in?"

"They all seemed unconscious, although I could be wrong," Miles replied. "I didn't really get a close look at them. They certainly did seem limp though."

"Are Obsidian and Crucio just planning on holding them in those areas? They are not going to move again at the last moment?" Kazel inquired.

"They didn't seem interested in doing that…" Miles thought for a moment, and then said, "Oh! I just remembered something Seiryu said. He seemed to be implying that those two were supposed to do something. Obsidian merely said he knew his job, but Crucio had a longer and more detailed response. Something about how Larka's mind would be… shattered…"

Without a word, Zack turned and walked towards the mountain path.

"Zack! Where are you going?" Hope called.

"To that cave Miles mentioned," Zack stated as he halted, not looking back. "If I don't do something now, it might be too late…"

"It may be too late already," Will said. "Zack, we HAVE to plan this out. Rushing off on impulse will not get us anywhere."

"…You're right… I'm letting worry overtake me," Zack said, turning to face them. "Sorry. Do you have any ideas?"

"Actually, I do," Will replied. "We need to save Brandi and Larka obviously, but what of this Heinskitz? If he finds that we are all gone, he might get suspicious, contact Obsidian and Crucio, and tell them to kill Brandi and Larka before we reach them. That would ruin everything. So I suggest we split up."

"Split up?" Draken inquired.

"Have about two people go to save Brandi and Mana, and two to save Larka," Will explained. "The rest of us wait for Heinskitz and force him to duel. If we win, have him die. If he doesn't return to Seiryu, he will ask Obsidian and Crucio to kill their hostages. But if we timed everything correctly, those two will also have been slain by then. That seems to be the least risky way of going to rescue them."

"That sounds like the best option we're going to get," Gaston agreed. "Anyone disagree?"

"No. How should we split up?" Kazel asked.

"Obviously, Max will want to go for Brandi, and Zack will wish to find Larka," Will stated. "We need two more volunteers."

"I'll go with Max," Hope offered.

"Ok, that works. Anyone in particular want to be with Zack?" Will inquired.

"I will accompany him," Angela stated.

Everyone looked at her in surprise as Zack asked, "Why?"

"It is one of my top priorities to ensure that the substitute is kept safe," Angela answered. "Therefore, I will assist in this."

"That works out well enough," Will said. "The rest of us will wait for Heinskitz to show up. Is everyone clear on what we are doing?"

"If Rue understands, we all do," Draken commented.

"Yeah, I get it… HEY!" Rue glared at Draken, who merely grinned in response.

"Then we should go at once," Zack said. "I believe I know where this cave is, so we should not have trouble finding it."

"We've been to the volcano often enough," Max stated grimly.

Zack looked down at Malon, who was begging at his feet. "Sorry Malon, but you probably won't be able to keep up. That, and I'm afraid you might give away our location if we are forced to be silent." He took out Malon's Soul Card. "Either go in here or stay on the mountain."

Malon yelped, looking distressed. Then he vanished into the card.

"Wow. He must really want to help Larka," Draken said. "Not that that's out of character, but this is the first time I've seen Malon go into his Soul Card without a big fuss."

"Well, we'll see you guys later," Miles said.

"Good luck to all of you," Kisara said softly.

"Thanks, we're going to probably need it!" Gaston replied as they began to descend the mountain.

To be continued…


	6. Messenger

Wow, that didn't go as planned. Being at my dad's on vacation, Kingdom Hearts 2 coming out, and school threw off my whole writing schedule. Ouch. But we get let out for summer in three weeks, so all's good.

Heinskitz is not my character. I give much thanks to Habado for making him and translating all his lines. Yes, they can be a bit hard to read, but the general meaning should come across well enough.

**Chapter Six: Messenger**

Brandi slowly came to, opening her eyes. The sight instantly threw her into confusion. She recognized the area as the volcano, in the last cavern, where they had run into Madura some time ago. The two problems with that were how she had ended up here and why she had her arms and legs pinned to the wall with metal clasps.

_What happened…? We were… at the spring… then… we were attacked! Mana! Larka! What happened to them?_ Brandi's gaze swept across the room worriedly. Her eyes locked onto a figure.

Leaning against the wall nearby was a young woman. She wore a white gi and black sandals, along with black socks that fell just short of her knee caps. Her short brown hair was rather scruffy, as though she didn't pay too much attention to it, and her green eyes glanced up at Brandi, alert at once.

"Ah, Brandi, you are awake at last," the woman said as she straightened.

Brandi stared at her in shock. "You know my name?"

"All of us know who the members of your group are," she replied. "I am aware that you are Brandi Driger, sister of Max Driger. That is why I wished to meet you."

"Why are you interested in Max?" Brandi asked warily.

"For personal reasons, nothing more," she said. "My name is Ouka, and I am going to ask a question. It should not be hard for you to answer."

Brandi regarded her silently.

"Where does Max get his strength from?" Ouka inquired. "I have seen him fight in the Coliseum. He is strong, and that interests me."

"His strength?" Brandi considered whether it would be safe to answer, but could not think of any reason why it would hurt to. "Well… it is to protect. He feels like he has to protect everyone close to his heart," Brandi said. "That's the only way I can really explain it…"

Ouka pondered that. "That is it? The only thing?"

"It is the main factor," Brandi answered.

"…Hm… I will have to think about this," Ouka stated, turning away. "That was all I wanted to know. Thank you." Then she walked out before Brandi could respond.

A moment later, Obsidian entered, glancing over his shoulder. "Wonder what that was about… oh well. Not my concern." He turned back to Brandi as he came up to her. "So, you are Brandi. I wonder how long you will be able to endure…"

"What are you talking about?" Brandi said uneasily.

"It is merely a consideration that needs to be taken into mind," Obsidian stated. "If we need to show you to your friends to convince them of what choice they should make, you should be in a much worse condition, wouldn't you agree?"

"…Who are you?" Brandi asked nervously.

"I go by the name Obsidian," he replied. "But all you need to know me as is your torturer." He took out a card and inserted it into his Duel Disk. "I see no reason to not start now."

Before Brandi could respond, an electric force slammed into her, causing her to scream out. A few seconds later, it vanished, leaving her hanging limply.

"How pathetic… you cannot even withstand one assault," Obsidian said. "Now I have to actually moderate myself to make sure you do not die." He made a few adjustments to his Duel Disk, and then inserted another card. Once more, lightning erupted from it, connecting with Brandi. She cried out again.

As the electricity began to fade, she thought, _No… I can't let this… happen… it's not only my life that is at risk!_

"Quite an enjoyable experience, no?" Obsidian commented as he inserted yet another card.

From outside of the cavern, in another one that had an invisible barrier over it, Mana was able to hear Brandi scream for a third time. The sound filled her with despair.

_Brandi… it's just like before… I'm unable to help her again…_ she thought, trying to rise but failing. The Energy Drain was still affecting her, and she knew that by the time it was gone, it would be far too late to save Brandi.

…

Larka also had trouble regaining consciousness. It took a few moments for her to finally force her eyes open. Her surroundings sent a wave of fear through her. She was lying on the ground in a large cavern. All around her, emerging from the ground, were parts of corpses that ranged from rotting limbs to bleached bones. The rancid scent of old blood and decay instantly made her feel sick, for more reasons than one. She also saw a rock towards the back of the room that had a coffin upon it. Whether it was empty or not was impossible to tell from her position on the floor. Apparently, there had once been two tunnels that led to the room, but one was completely blocked off by rocks. The other seemed clear enough.

Deeply frightened by this new area, Larka attempted to sit up, but found it impossible. Her arms were bound behind her back, and her legs were tied together, making it extremely difficult to move. She gave up after a few attempts and returned to her original position, trying to calm down.

_What is this place? Brandi, Mana… what happened to them? What's going to happen to me?_ Larka tried to shift her thoughts to thinking of a way to escape, but they kept going back to those grim questions.

Larka did not have long to think about those though. A few minutes after she had woken up, she heard footsteps coming from the tunnel. Then a man came into the room. Although she did not recognize him, dread seized her once more. From the spotless lab coat to his malicious eyes behind wire-rimmed glasses, the man was the final piece of the gruesome puzzle that the area constructed.

"It seems she has awakened," the man said, stepping aside to let another in. "You may speak with her, but only for a moment."

"That is all I need," the second man relied. A jolt went through Larka as she heard the voice. When the man came closer, her suspicions were confirmed.

"K-kai?" Larka said nervously.

Kai halted in front of her, staring down with cold eyes. "Larka Luna, correct? Let me ask you something. What do you think of this area? Do you feel it fitting for yourself?"

"W-what do you mean?" Larka stammered.

"I assume you noticed all of the corpses here," Kai said. "This is practically a cemetery. Surely that is a comfort to a murderer such as you?"

"A m-murderer? I… I'm not…" Larka started to say.

Kai cut her off by roughly grabbing her hair, yanking up her head harshly. He ignored her soft cry of pain and snarled, "I had a brother who was an official. He worked under one of the higher officials, Abram. Recognize the name?"

Larka's eyes widened. "H-he was… part of…"

"That's right. You slaughtered his entire group that night, except Abram himself, who you apparently killed later anyway!" Kai glared at Larka, who was frozen in fright. "You were the one who murdered all of those people, and one of them was my own brother! Do you think I should just let the one responsible for it go without retaliating?"

"I… I didn't want to… kill anyone…" Larka whispered.

"What kind of pathetic excuse is that supposed to be?" Kai abruptly let go of her hair, causing her to fall back to the ground with a soft thump. "If you even feel regret, which I doubt, it would not cancel out what you have done! It would not bring my brother back to life!" Kai gave her a final piercing look. "Be thankful that we were ordered to keep you alive, or I would have revenge for what happened then. As it is… I have personally arranged that you undergo torture from Crucio. By the time he is done, you will be wishing I had killed you." Kai turned away and walked back towards the tunnel.

"You are finished?" Crucio asked as Kai went by him.

"Yes. I trust you will do your worst," Kai said as he left. A few seconds later, he was out of sight.

Crucio shook his head. "Orders to keep you alive, eh…?" He walked with deliberate slowness over to Larka and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her up. "How useless! Do they not know how this will turn out?"

Larka did not respond; fear seemed to have finally stolen her voice. Crucio carried her over to the coffin, laying her in it. Larka stared up at him, terror overwhelming her as he spoke again. "Whether your friends agree to surrender or not, you will die in the end anyway. Then there is always the chance of you somehow escaping… or even more likely, being rescued." His eyes gleamed as he looked at her. "Surely you have a loved one you are praying will save you?"

_Zack…_ Larka thought.

"That is precisely why it is too risky to keep you alive, when you are to die either way," Crucio stated as he slipped a card into his Duel Disk. He held up a hand, and in it appeared a dagger.

"This is Dagger of Butterflies-Eruma," Crucio said as Larka paled. "Do not worry… your death will be swift. Perhaps so swift that it will be painless. But how am I to know? After all, I have never died!"

Larka had no time to react to his words, except for a single thought: _Zack! _Then Crucio brought his hand down, the dagger piercing into her. She felt a sharp pain, along with blood staining her, _her_ blood, and then she was falling into a deep darkness, far deeper than any time she had fainted…

_Zack…_

…

"This is as far as we can go together," Zack said as they reached the foot of the mountain. "Good luck to both of you."

"Same to you," Hope replied. Max merely nodded.

Without further exchange, they split apart to head their separate ways.

…

"GAH! I can't stand this!" Rue shouted as he turned and smashed his head into a rock wall. Then he fell back. "Ow… pain… at least this'll preoccupy me…"

"Geez Rue, I'd think you'd want to keep the few brain cells you have," Miles commented.

"I repeat what I said earlier: Rue has a brain?" Draken said.

"I hate you both," Rue grumbled, sitting up.

"It wouldn't be any fun otherwise," Draken said with a grin.

"Only half an hour has passed since they began going down," Kazel said. "Be patient."

"Rue? Being patient? You're kidding, right?" Neo joked.

"I can be patient!" Rue protested. "It's not like I'm distracted by the smallest-hey look, a bird!"

Everyone else sighed. Then Will said, "Miles, you heard nothing else about this Heinskitz guy? Nothing at all?"

"Nope. Just that he's apparently a moron," Miles said with a shrug.

"It's too bad you couldn't have followed them," Darche remarked.

"Yeah, but I had to contact you guys ASAP," Miles reminded him. "Besides, the chances of being caught didn't appeal to me."

"You really need to get stronger so that you can fight your way out of situations," Draken said.

"Hey, it's not like I don't try! I actually do exercises to increase my strength!" Miles declared.

"Really? What do you do?" Rue asked.

"I started by holding a five-pound potato sack with each hand every day," Miles explained. "Then when I could keep those up, I moved up to ten pounds, and continued until I had reached the fifty-pound potato sacks."

"He speaks truly," Gen confirmed.

"Whoa!" Rue said with an amazed look. Then he frowned. "Hey wait. If you did all that, why are you still weak?"

"Well, it probably would have helped if I had actually put potatoes in them," Miles said with a grin.

Everyone besides Ruecian, Kisara, and Gen face-faulted. Ruecian merely shook his head while Kisara looked confused.

"Again, I hate you," Rue growled from his position on the ground.

"I know, that's why it's so great to say stuff like that," Miles said, laughing.

"He certainly seems as lively as ever," Darche commented to Gen.

Gen smiled at that. "This is the first time since the banning that I've seen Miles be carefree again. It really hurt him to be separated for so long. I mean, he never actually changed the way he acted, but… his heart wasn't into it until now."

"I can understand that," Darche responded.

"Dang it! I'm bored again!" Rue complained.

"We need some amusement. Like having a flamboyant duelist come and proclaim himself to be some ridiculous title," Draken commented.

At that moment, a man suddenly leapt up from the path and landed in front of them in an odd position. His arm was thrown up and his wrist bent down, almost as though he were pointing at himself.

The new arrival wore a black shirt with white letters that said, 'One by one, the penguins steal my sanity'. Over that was an unbuttoned, mainly blue and red shirt that was in a Hawaiian design of sorts. Going with the surfer attire were blue swimming trunks and brown sandals. His blond hair was slicked up the front in a ridiculous fashion, and his blue eyes were pretty wide compared to most.

"I am Heinskeetz Velvet-Trrainah of Dolfen!" he said with a hilariously-hideous German accent.

The same people from before face-faulted again. "This is why you should be careful with what you wish for," Draken muttered as they got up.

Rue's eyes twitched. "Did he say DOLPHINS? ARGH! BAD MEMORIES… FROM ATLANTICA… IN KINGDOM HEARTS… RETURNING… HATE… DOLPHINS…"

"Joo! How can joo ATE DOLFENS? Zat ees so heedeecoolusly-" The last words he said sounded more like shrill squeaks than anything. Then he frowned. "Oh, right. Joo vooldn't oonzerstand ze booteefool langvage zat ees 'Dolphlandeec'! Neverzeless… joo haff no right to talk of my precious dolfens een such a vay-"

"I think the penguins are done," Will commented.

Heinskitz was in such a frenzy that he didn't seem to notice Will's remark. "-and zus, joo shall sufferr from ze wrat of Heinskeetz Velvet-Trrainah of Dolfen-"

Rue's eye twitched again. "Who gives a damn about you? Seriously, I think your new name should be Fruitcake. No, more like Captain Fruitcake."

This caused Heinskitz to go into a rapid stream of words in 'Dolphlandic' that they could only assume were horrible curses. Then he spat out, "Joo veell pay for zis most heedeous crime of neglecting my full title! Lookie, come fort and elp me!"

"…Do I have to?" they heard someone say.

"Pleeeeeaaaaase?" Heinskitz begged in a disgustingly over-sweet voice.

"…I hate you so much," the voice said as the speaker stepped into view.

Nearly everyone's jaws dropped at the Soul Monster. The white… face-like… _thing_… before them was at least a story tall. Despite having short arms and feet, it still seemed like a giant face; its mouth and nose were huge, while its tiny eyes came out on stalks. It wore a red speedo and a small yellow crown.

"WHAT THE HELL?" Rue yelped. "YES, I'M SAYING IT AGAIN! THIS SITUATION CALLS FOR IT!"

"My poor eyes," Miles groaned, covering his face with his hands. "I am now blind."

"What he said. Someone tell me when it's over," Draken concurred, copying Miles.

"Yeah, yeah, same reaction as always, can we get to the point?" the Soul Monster snapped, staying behind Heinskitz.

"Zees is Lookie, my best friend! He's a lot betterr zan loossers like joo!" Heinskitz declared.

"…No wonder that idiot ended up this way," Darche muttered.

"That only proves my point that you deserve the name Captain Fruitcake," Rue said.

"Joo haff crossed ze line by eensulting my precious dolfens!" Heinskitz pointed at Rue. "I challenge JOO!"

"…Can you even duel?" Rue questioned.

"Of course!" Heinskitz replied, looking offended. "I am a grayt zooleest!"

"Actually, he might not be lying," Miles said, glancing out from between his fingers. "Seiryu said the only reason they kept him around was because he was a good duelist."

"Seiryu? Oh, right! I vas supposez to tell joo guys to soorrender, or vee'd keell joor friends!" Heinskitz said.

"OLD!" Rue, Draken, and Miles chorused.

"We are already well aware of that, and it will not cause us to surrender," Will stated.

"Vell zen… zere ees no reesen to haff to old back!" Heinskitz punched the air. "Less go, Lookie! Ve veell show zese dolfen aters vy eet ees rong to go against zem!"

"If we did not have our orders, I would never agree to this," Lookie grumbled.

"Fine then. If it's a duel you want, I'll give you one. Bring it on, Captain Fruitcake!" Rue turned on his Duel Disk.

"EENUFF VEET ZAT HEEDEECOOLUS NAME!" Heinskitz turned on his own Duel Disk.

"Better him than us," Draken commented.

Ruecian just shook his head before stepping next to Rue.

Rue: 8000

Heinskitz: 8000

"Who goes first?" Miles asked.

"Me," Rue and Heinskitz both said. Then they glared at each other.

"How are we going to determine it?" Will said.

"A staring contest!" Heinskitz declared.

"You have got to be kidding," Rue said flatly. Then he abruptly smiled. "Sure, why not."

"Rue's going with this?" Draken said in disbelief.

"…Whatever works," Will said with a shrug. "All right. Ready, set, go."

They stared at each other for about thirty seconds before Rue suddenly yelled, "OH MY GOD! A DOLPHIN IS DYING BEHIND YOU!"

"VAT!" Heinskitz turned around instantly and saw the path down the mountain, bare.

"Hah! I win!" Rue said triumphantly.

"Joo cheeterr!" Heinskitz accused.

"You never said we couldn't do that," Rue pointed out. "So I'm going first."

"But… but… FINE! BE ZAT VAY!" Heinskitz pouted.

"I will," Rue grinned, drawing six cards. "Hm… I'll summon Skilled Black Magician (1900/1700) and end my turn."

"He must not have gotten a very good hand," Draken commented.

"Maybe he is withholding his cards for next turn," Kazel suggested.

"Normally, that would be a valid idea. But this is Rue we're talking about," Miles reminded her.

"Ah, yes. You have a point." Kazel nodded wisely.

"Some friends you are," Rue grumbled.

"I lay tooh cards down and a monsterr een zefense!" Heinskitz declared.

"My turn? I summon Doublecoston. (1700/1650) Then my Skilled Black Magician attacks your defense monster!" Rue said.

"Joo haff zestroyed my Zemon-Vorld Fameeliar! (1600/600) So hees effect acteevates!" Heinskitz informed him. "Ven ee goes to ze Cemetery from ze feeld, each playerr chooses vun level zree or lowver normal monster from hees or er zeck, reveals eet, and puts eet een hees or er and. Zen ve shuffle."

"That won't help me at all," Rue said with a sigh. "I don't have any monsters that fit the criteria."

"But I do! I get Polite Eentruder Grreen!" Heinskitz showed him it.

"…What the hell are you smoking and where can I get some?" Rue said.

"What is Polite Intruder Green?" Kisara asked.

"One of the ugliest and most utterly pathetic cards in existence," Neo replied. "I can't imagine why someone would want to use it."

"Because he's a moron?" Draken offered.

"I would not be so quick to dismiss it," Will stated. "He might be using it in some kind of combo."

"Either way, I attack you directly with Doublecoston," Rue said.

"I acteevate my trap card, Cry of ze Leeving Zez! Zat revives my Zemon-Vorld Fameeliar!" Heinskitz retorted.

Rue shrugged. "Big deal. Doublecoston attacks it."

Rue: 8000

Heinskitz: 7900

Rue watched him search through his deck. "Going to get another pathetic monster?"

"No! I get Polite Eentruder Jello!" Heinskitz disagreed, showing him it.

"Jell-O? Where can I get some?" Miles asked.

"I just asked if you were going to get another pathetic monster, quit lying!" Rue said. "I'm done."

"I'm not lying! Zey're not patheteec! Just meesoonzerstood!" Heinskitz protested. "I summon Polite Eentruder Grreen (0/1000) and lay a card zown."

"Wow. He really is ugly," Miles said, wincing.

"They all are," Neo said. "All three of them and the Polite Intruder King, anyway. I wanted to stab out my eyes after I saw them for the first time."

Rue shook his head. "Talk about denial. I sacrifice Doublecoston for Black Magician. (2500/2100) He attacks Polite Intruder Green!"

"Joo'll regret zat! I acteevate Oly Barrier-Mirror Force!" Heinskitz countered.

"…Ow. I do regret that." Rue watched his two monsters be blown up by the reflected blast. "Drat. I lay a card down and end my turn."

"Time to bring oot my super-zuper-inzestructible combo of zoom!" Heinskitz threatened.

"Wow. That sounds threatening," Miles commented.

"I play Ground of Eenacteeveety!" Heinskitz said. "Zoo joo stop me?"

"Why would I? All that does is take up two of my monster slots," Rue said. "I can still summon up to three monsters, and that's more than enough to take care of you."

"Excellent! Now I acteevate my trap card, Ze Polite Eentruding Trio!" Smaller versions of the three Polite Intruders popped up on Rue's side of the field in defense mode. (0/1000) "Zat geeves joo zree Polite Eentruding Tokens! Ven zey are zestroyed, ze controller of zem takes 300 Life Point zamage."

"Let me guess; there's something about them that I don't know of that will own me," Rue said.

"Since zey cannot be sacrificed to summon, all fife of joor monster slots are feelled until I zestroy vun!" Heinskitz pointed out.

"…Why do I always have to be right about things like that?" Rue groaned. Then he blinked. "Wait! That means you can't attack me without freeing up my monster slots!"

"Vell of course not! I'm not ready to attack yet!" Heinskitz said, as though this were obvious. "I summon Polite Eentruder Jello!" (0/1000)

"Don't even comment," Draken said to Miles.

"Darn it," Miles muttered.

"Zen I acteevate Lookie's Zeck Master abeeleety! By paying 500 Life Points, I can get a Polite Eentruder from my zeck or Cemetery. I get Polite EEntruder Black from my zeck!"

Rue: 8000

Heinskitz: 7400

"Whoo hoo, you got another useless monster! Congratulations!" Rue said sarcastically. "I lay two cards down and end my turn."

"Zey aren't yooseless! Just for zat, I'm going to get rid of joor cards!" Heinskitz said. "I play Tempest! EET GON' RAIN!"

"AW HELL NAH! My own Deck Master ability stops that!" Rue declared. "By discarding a card-in this case, Jewel of the Wise-Ruecian negates and destroys your magic card!" Ruecian sliced apart the card.

"Cheaterr! Zat's just not fairr!" Heinskitz complained. "I play Cyclone-"

"Negate it. I discard Black Magician Girl." Ruecian cut apart that one too.

"I ate joo!" Heinskitz shouted. "I summon Polite Eentruder Black (0/1000) and end my turn!"

"Might want to hide your eyes," Draken advised to Kisara, who was looking a bit sickened with six Polite Intruders on the field.

"Hah! I play my own Cyclone to destroy Ground of Inactivity!" Rue announced. "Then I summon another Skilled Black Magician! He attacks and destroys Intruder Black!"

Rue: 8000

Heinskitz: 5500

"Joo zestroyed my precious Polite Eentruder Black!" Heinskitz whined. Then he drew, his eyes lighting up at the card. "Zees veell make joo sufferr! I pay 500 Life points to retriefe Polite Eentruder Black from ze Cemetery and summon heem!"

Rue: 8000

Heinskitz: 5000

"Yeah, that's going to really make me suffer," Rue said sarcastically.

Heinskitz pointed at Rue for the third time. "He veell! For now I play Polite Eentruding Delta Oorreecane!"

Rue blinked. "What's that?"

The three Polite Intruders Heinskitz had formed a triangle. A violent windstorm sprang up at once, tearing apart everything on Rue's field. He was barely able to remain upright due to the fierce gales.

"Ven I haff Polite Eentruder Grreen, Jello, and Black on ze feeld, I can acteevate zat! Eet zestroys all cards on ze opponent's side of ze feeld!" Heinskitz said.

"…I cannot believe such a card exists," Rue said in disgust. "Cannot."

"BELIEVE IT!" Miles yelled. Then he got hit over the head by Will's book. "Ow! You didn't have to do that!"

"Yes, I did have to." Will returned to reading.

"Why are you reading while Rue is fighting for his life?" Gen inquired.

"By ignoring them, I am hoping to preserve my brain cells," Will explained without looking up.

"Ah. Good idea," Gen agreed.

"You eliminated my Claymore Mine and Magic Cylinder," Rue said.

"Ze Polite Eentruder Tokens got zestroyed also, so joo lose 900 Life Points!" Heinskitz added.

Rue: 7100

Heinskitz: 5000

"Oh my gosh! You can do basic math!" Rue said in fake astonishment. "Maybe I misjudged how stupid you are!" He paused. "…Nah."

"Vee'll see oo ze stupid vun ees!" Heinskitz retorted. "I play Fusion! Polite Entruder Grreen, Jello, and Black form Polite Eentruder King!" (0/3000)

"GRAH! NOW THERE ARE TWO OF THEM!" Rue exclaimed as it appeared.

"Anyone got a rusty spoon?" Draken asked. "I'd like to stab out my eyes now."

"No, but I wish I did," Miles replied.

"So does it actually do anything? Besides stand there and look ugly?" Rue asked.

"Ee ees not ugly!" Heinskitz cried. "And eee hass an effect! Up to zree of joor monster slots cannot be used vile ee ees oot!"

"Great, it's The Polite Intruding Trio all over again, except without the retarded tokens on my field," Rue said with a sigh. "Why couldn't I have just had a few cards in my hand to negate those magic cards? Why?"

"Because you planned that out horribly?" Neo suggested.

"…Yeah. Thanks for pointing out the obvious," Rue muttered.

"Zen I play Angel's Geeft to zraw zree cards!" Heinskitz looked at them. "I zeescard Zez Veet Ohnerr and Ojamagic, so Ojamagic is activated!"

"What does it do?" Rue questioned.

"Ven eet ees sent to ze Cemetery from my and or ze feeld, I can put vun of each Eentruder een my and!" Heinskitz explained. "So I get a Polite Eentruder Grreen, Jello, and Black from my zeck!"

"Oh boy, more disgusting monsters!" Rue said with false enthusiasm. "Anything else to go with this wonderful turn?"

"Actually, yes! I play anuzer Ground of Eenactivity!" Heinskitz said. "So now all of jojr monster slots are feelled again!"

"…Screw you. Seriously," Rue growled, his eyes twitching. "May I go?"

"Of course!" Heinskitz said formally.

Rue looked at the card he drew in annoyance. "I pass."

"My plan cannot fail! I summon Polite Eentruder Grreen!" Heinskitz said.

"Oh yeah? I'll tear apart your plan!" Rue glanced at his hand. "…After I pass again."

"I summon Polite Eentruder Jellow and lay a card face-zown!" Heinskitz continued.

"…Okay, I'll ruin it _next_ turn," Rue sighed. "Pass for the third time in a row."

"I summon Polite Eentruder Black!" Heinskitz looked at the trio and King on his field fondly. "Aren't zey cute?"

"Gag me," Rue grumbled as he drew. Upon seeing his card, he grinned. "At last! Not exactly what I was thinking of, but this works perfectly! I play Double Magic! By discarding Book of the Sun, I can take one of your magic cards from the Cemetery and use it!" He thought for a moment. "I don't want to destroy your other card in case it's another Ojamagic though. So I'll take Cyclone and get rid of Ground Collapse! Then I play Early Burial, to revive Black Magician!"

Rue: 6300

Heinskitz: 5000

"With Black Magician on the field, I can activate Thousand Knives to destroy one of your monsters! I'll take out Polite Intruder King!" Rue said. "Then Black Magician attacks Polite Intruder Green!"

The Polite Intruder Green was so feeble that the dark magic attack tore through it instantly, hitting Heinskitz full-force.

Rue: 6300

Heinskitz: 2500

"Ow zare joo keell my precious Polite Eentruder Grreen!" Heinskitz exclaimed. "But I veell acteevate Crowd Tacteecs! Eet's a permanent trap. Each end phase allows me to choose a number of level two or lowver normal monsters from my zeck eekval to ze number zat ver zestroyed by battle and special summon zem."

"Yay, more Polite Intruders! Seriously, my hate for those things has gone through the roof. I end my turn," Rue growled.

"Joo ate dolfens and Polite Eentruders… joo are vun of ze most despeecable perrsons everr!" Heinskitz said. "I use Crowd Tacteecs to get Polite Eentruder Grreen! On my turn, I play Revive Fusion, an equip magic card! By paying 800 Life Points, I bring back Polite Eentruder King een attack mode!"

Rue: 6300

Heinskitz: 1700

"I summon Polite Eentruder Jello, and zen play ze magic card Ojamoosle!" Heinskitz sniffed and wiped his eyes. "Eet zestroys all of my Polite Eentruders besides my King…" The other four exploded. "But eet ees for ze greater good! My Polite Eentruder King's attack raises by 1000 for each vun zestroyed!" (4000/3000)

"Oh you have got to be kidding," Rue said as the Polite Intruder King got ready to attack.

"I am not! Polite Eentruder King attacks Black Magician!" Heinskitz declared.

The huge Polite Intruder King leapt forward, flattening Black Magician in a belly flop.

Rue: 4800

Heinskitz: 1700

"What a way to go," Miles winced.

"I'm so sick of this…" Rue grumbled, drawing. Then he smiled. "Now that's what I like to see! I summon Magic Warrior Breaker! (1900/1000) He comes with a magic counter, but I'm going to remove it to destroy your Revive Fusion! That removes your Polite Intruder King from the game! Then Breaker attacks you directly!"

Rue: 4800

Heinskitz: 100

"No! Joo can't zoo zees! Not to my booteefool Polite Eentruders!" Heinskitz cried.

"I just did," Rue pointed out.

"Prepare to be faced by my greatest monster zen! Lookie, come fort!" Heinskitz said.

"…I am not saving your sorry ass," Lookie stated.

"Oh come on! Vee're going to zie if joo zon't!" Heinskitz pleaded.

"What? I die too? Screw that." Lookie went onto the field in defense mode. (0/3000)

"I am not letting this go on any longer," Rue snarled, drawing. He looked at it and smiled again. "I think my deck's tired of it too. I summon Injection Angel Lily!" (400/1500)

"Vat can she zoo to stop ze almighty Lookie?" Heinskitz asked scornfully.

Rue couldn't resist mocking him. "Zees." He indicated to Lookie. The Injection Angel Lily sped forward and jabbed him with her needle. Lookie bloated before falling backwards.

Rue: 2800

Heinskitz: Deck Master Defeated

"No! Zees cannot be! My dolfens… I'f failed zem!" Then Heinskitz was crushed by his dead Soul Monster, who faded away shortly afterwards, leaving Heinskitz's corpse.

"Neo, burn it," Rue said at once.

"Can't we just throw him into the deleted area?" Neo suggested.

"No. That isn't good enough. Burn him I say!" Will hit Rue over the head with his book. "Ouch! Fine, fine, throw him off!"

"Am I glad that's over with," Draken said as Kazel grabbed Heinskitz's corpse and threw it into the white. "My brain couldn't take much more of that."

"More importantly, we have defeated the duelist Seiryu wanted to send at us," Will stated. "Now all we need to do is wait for the others to return."

"Sounds good to me. I don't feel like doing much else after that mess," Miles said, rubbing his head. "My brain and eyes need time to recover."

"I hope they are doing okay…" Kisara said worriedly.

"They'll be fine," Draken assured. "Max is strong as heck and Hope's able to support him well. Zack's powerful too, and Angela... is Angela. Geez. I'd hate to get in her way."

"I believe she was more concerned about Brandi and Larka," Kazel stated.

Draken frowned at that. "Well… not much I can say there…"

"There's no sense it worrying over it," Miles commented, leaning against a rock wall. "We've done what we could. It's up to those four now."

"Yep. So until then…" Rue glanced at Miles. "Staring contest?"

"I'm not as stupid as him," Miles retorted.

"Then free duel me or something. Anything to get my mind off everyone else," Rue said.

"Fine, I will," Draken said, activating his Duel Disk.

Will settled down to read again as Neo said, "Back to normal life."

"What is normal?" Will asked, his eyes on the pages.

"…Good question," Neo admitted.

To be continued…


	7. Pain

This duel was pretty easy to write, so this chapter didn't take very long. Since I was looking forward to this chapter and the next one, I hope that another one will be up by tomorrow, although that's not a promise.

**Chapter Seven: Pain**

Brandi did not know how much more she could take of this.

Her previous experience with torture could not have prepared her for the pain she was going through now, which was just as bad, if not worse. Hopes of falling unconscious were wasted, for Obsidian knew exactly what he was doing. But Brandi was not only being hurt physically; the mental agony she was going through tore at her terribly. Something that had not been a concern before was filling every breathing moment she got in-between shocks. Something she worried about even more than her own life.

"I think a change in methods would be nice, don't you agree?" Obsidian brought out his Soul Card. A monster made of brick-like rocks emerged instantly. He stood a bit taller than Obsidian with red, muscled arms, blue shoulder guards, and gold knuckles. His head was merely a cylinder of more rocks, but he also had small, red eyes that gazed at Brandi menacingly.

"This is Onyx, a Golem of Destruction. He is as well versed in torture as I." Obsidian nodded to him. "Do not break her immediately. Work gradually. I want to draw this out as long as possible."

Onyx stepped forward in response and placed his hands around her throat, choking her. Several agonizing seconds passed before he loosened his grip, allowing her to gasp a few times before restarting the process.

_How… much… longer… will… this… last…? I… I can't… take this… anymore…_ Brandi thought as her mind darkened, and then returned to consciousness from revitalizing oxygen, and then blackened again…

Mana could not hear Brandi screaming anymore, but that only increased her worry. If Brandi was silent, that could very well mean that she was not capable of saying anything.

…

Compared to when she was thirteen, Hope was far more fit. She did not get tired as easily and could run a good distance when the need arose. Gym classes that she had been forced to take turned out to be beneficial in the long run.

Despite this, she was forced to say to Max, "Could we please… slow down a bit? I'm not… quite used to this speed…"

Ever since leaving the treacherous mountain, Max had been going at an incredibly fast walk. They were about half-way to the lake before Hope finally caved in and said that. When he heard her, he said, "Oh… sorry," and dropped his speed a bit.

"Thanks." Hope took a few moments to catch her breath at the slower pace before saying, "I know you're worried, and you have the right to be. But I'm sure Brandi will be all right. We'll make it in time, so try not to fret too much."

"I can't help it," Max said tensely. "You heard what Miles said about Larka. What if that's happening to Brandi, or worse?"

"Then there's nothing we can do," Hope answered. "Not right now. What you can do is prepare yourself for what you might have to go against. We have no idea of what Obsidian will try when we get there."

Gaston was quick to support her claims. "Hope's right. Try to calm yourself before we arrive. It will benefit us."

Max slowly nodded. "All right."

They soon arrived at the lake shore. As Hope looked at it, Gaston said, "There is little point in taking the usual large ship we do. It would only slow us down."

"Yeah. That's why we're using this." Max brought out a Ship to the Sunset and recalled Tenma to his Soul Card. "Let's go."

"All right. You lead the way," Hope said, sitting in the back and taking up an oar. Gaston copied her and Max went to the front to steer.

"I also have something to speed it up." Max showed them a magic card. "This is Big Waves, Little Waves. Hold onto the sides of the boat for now." He slid it into his Duel Disk. The waves came abruptly, throwing the ship forward at an impressive speed.

"That works!" Hope exclaimed, keeping a tight grip on the ship sides.

"We will have to row around the rocks to reach the island itself, but until then, focus on staying in the boat," Max said.

The trip there did not take long at all thanks to the waves. When they got closer to the shore, Max removed the magic card and brought up his oar to steer the ship in safely. With Hope and Gaston helping, they managed to land quickly.

Max dismissed the Ship to the Sunset and summoned Tenma. "I'll go first."

"Of course." Hope and Gaston went after him into the volcano.

The volcano had not changed much over the years. Hope remembered the path from when they had last gone in. They navigated it easily and were soon near the end. The heat was uncomfortable, but their larger concerns caused the temperature to be insignificant.

As they approached the second to last cavern, Tenma halted, sniffing the air.

"What is it?" Max asked.

"The scent of Mana is coming from this next area," he growled softly. "Brandi seems to be nearby as well."

"Good." Max went on at once with everyone right behind him.

The cavern was empty, except for one Soul Monster lying on the ground that they all recognized at once. "Mana!" Hope exclaimed, kneeling by her hastily. "Mana, can you hear me?"

"…H-Hope?" Mana was barely able to look up at her. "H-how…?"

"What happened to you?" Max asked, his eyes flashing with anger at her state.

"M-Max… I… it doesn't matter… help Brandi…" Mana whispered. "She… she's in the next room…"

"…Right." Max went forward at once.

Gaston lifted Mana. "If you can hang on, we'll heal you after all of this is over."

"W-wait… there's a… barrier…" Mana murmured.

"Huh?" Gaston looked at the two exits for the cavern. "I don't see any barriers."

"Sealing Ward of Light…" Mana explained. "I heard… him… say what it was… I won't… be able… to pass through…"

"Sealing Ward of Light? So they made it only stop Magic Users from passing through… I can get rid of that with Magic Removal." Hope slid the magic card in her Duel Disk. A soft green glow appeared around the barriers blocking both doors, and then they faded away. "Now we can go on."

Max led the way into the next room with Tenma after him, and then Hope and Gaston with Mana bringing up the rear. Truthfully though, it did not matter which pattern they had taken in entering. The last cavern was the biggest one in the volcano, and neither of them could have been quick enough to reach Brandi when they first saw where she was.

The scene that greeted their eyes certainly did nothing to reduce Max's boiling temper. Obsidian was standing near the back wall, watching his Soul Monster. Onyx still had his hands around Brandi's neck, but not tightened. Brandi's eyes were closed and her breathing was harsh, for she had just been released from another strangling.

Obsidian turned to see them with a stunned expression. "What? How did you know we were here?"

At his words, Brandi managed to open her eyes slightly, but she found herself unable to speak. Her throat still felt as though it were on fire.

"That doesn't matter!" Max snarled, stepping forward.

"Stay where you are!" Obsidian ordered, holding up his hand. "If you come closer, I will have my Soul Monster, Onyx, kill her. As you can see, that would not take much effort at all on his part."

Max still looked completely furious, to the point that Hope doubted he had even heard Obsidian's demand. So when Max was about to continue towards them, she hurriedly grabbed him and struggled to hold him back. "Max, stop! He'll really do it!"

After a few seconds of trying to escape her grasp, Max gave up, glaring at Obsidian with hatred.

"It seems your girlfriend is more reasonable than you are." Obsidian walked forward, leaving Onyx near Brandi. "To be honest, I did not expect anyone to find us. This throws a wrench in my plans. Still, I believe we can settle this decently." He activated his Duel Disk. "If you want to save your sister, I propose you accept my offer to a duel. The loser dies along with their Soul Monster. What do you say?"

"Anything to kill you!" Max snapped. He activated his own after Hope released him.

"Good. Then I hope you won't object to this?" He brought out six black rings.

"What are those?" Max said suspiciously.

Obsidian tossed Max three of them and then attached the other three to himself. Two went to his upper arms and one was put on his neck. "Do the same with yours. They will ensure that the death penalty is carried out."

Since Obsidian had already put his own on, Max figured it would be safe enough to put on his. Besides, he wanted to get this over with. He put on the rings swiftly. "Now can we get to it?"

"Of course. Let's finish this promptly, so that I may return to what I was doing," Obsidian said. Onyx went next to him, as Tenma did to Max.

"Brandi…" Mana whispered.

"Don't worry. Max is going to save her," Gaston assured. "Just wait and see."

"Yeah… definitely…" Hope agreed. But her eyes betrayed her worry.

Max: 8000

Obsidian: 8000

"Would you object to me going first?" Obsidian inquired.

"Not at all. That means I get to attack quicker," Max growled.

"If that is what you want," Obsidian said. "I lay a monster down, along with a card. Then I play a field magic card, Fault Zone."

The volcanic area around them transformed into a canyon-like area. They stood in a ravine with the rock walls stretching up around them.

"That is all," Obsidian ended.

Max slammed his card onto his Duel Disk with much more force than was necessary. "I summon Element Devil! (1500/1200) He attacks your defense monster!"

"Max! That's reckless!" Gaston protested. "You didn't even ask what Fault Zone does!"

"Oh, don't worry. He will learn first-hand what a stupid play that was," Obsidian said. "You attacked my Aztec Statue. (300/2000) When you take battle damage from him being in defense mode, it is doubled. So you take 1000 damage, rather than 500. Also, Fault Zone factors in. When a Rock Sub-Type monster is attacked while in defense mode, the battle damage done to the controller is doubled. That's 2000 damage. Then I activate my trap card, Cross Counter! If the defense stat of a monster is greater than the attacker's strength, the battle damage is doubled and the monster is destroyed. You have taken 4000 Life Point damage and lost a monster from your foolish play. Feel proud?"

Max: 4000

Obsidian: 8000

After Max's Life Point counter stopped decreasing, the rings he wore sparked. That was the only warning they got before a huge electric shock suddenly burst out of them, consuming Max. He dropped to his knees with a yell of immense pain.

He was not the only one affected. The clasps pinning Brandi to the wall also lit up, and she was shocked with as much intensity as Max. A scream escaped her hoarse throat before she fell silent again, hanging limply.

"W-what was that?" Max managed to say as he rose.

"It is making sure the loser goes through with their word," Obsidian said. "Each time we lose Life Points, we suffer from an electric shock. The more Life Points we lose, the higher the intensity. To add onto that, your sister will also take the same damage you do. If you aren't more careful, you might be the one that breaks her. Wouldn't that be ironic?"

Hope could tell that Obsidian's words and actions were really affecting Max. He seemed beyond the point of hearing reason. So she did the only thing she could think of to calm him down; she ran forward and embraced him. "Max, please listen to me! You can't win like this! You have to think things through, or you're going to die, and Brandi will too!"

Max looked over at her in surprise. As he saw the state she was in, he realized something else. His actions were also affecting Hope, making her be worried sick. Not only was his life on the line, but his fate was linked with Brandi's… and Hope's.

"…I understand. Don't worry, I'll be more careful now," he said.

Hope let go of him. "Do that and you will win." She returned to where she had been standing before.

"Good one," Gaston said. "That seems to have worked."

Max turned to Obsidian. "Sorry for the interruption… oh wait, I'm not. I lay one card down and end my turn."

Obsidian was rather annoyed that Hope had helped Max get a grip on his anger, but there was little he could do about it. "I lay one monster."

"I'll summon Newt. (1900/400) He attacks your new monster," Max stated.

"You just don't learn," Obsidian said with a shake of his head. "You got lucky this time though. It is my Mine Golem. (1000/1900) Done?"

Max frowned slightly. "A Rock Sub-Type deck, one that focuses mostly on defense. That's annoying. I end my turn."

"What will be more annoying for you is this. I play Sealing Swords of Light, so that you may not attack for three turns." Obsidian smirked at Max's aggravated expression. "Since you're helpless to stop me, I suppose there's no harm in playing another Mine Golem in attack mode. (1000/1900) I lay one card down and end my turn."

"Just because I can't attack doesn't mean I'm helpless," Max said. "I play Angel's Gift to draw three cards. Then I discard Mimic of Darkness Lv 1 and Division of Ranks. I play Rebirth of the Dead. By discarding Night Assassin, I return Element Devil to my hand from my Cemetery. Night Assassin's effect activates. When he is discarded from my hand, I return a reverse effect monster from my Cemetery to my hand. I'm going to get Mimic of Darkness Lv 1. I summon Element Devil and end my turn."

"Yep, Max is back in business," Gaston said.

Obsidian did not seem intimidated by the large play Max had made. "I lay a monster down and end my turn."

"I summon Goblin Elite Force (2200/1500) and end my turn," Max stated.

Obsidian smirked again as he saw what he had drawn. "This ought to be fun. I summon my third Mine Golem and switch my first to attack. Then I activate my trap card, Mine Detonation! For each Mine Golem I have on my field, you lose 1000 Life Points!"

"I don't think I want to take 3000 Life Points worth of damage, thank you," Max said calmly. "I activate Holy Life Barrier. By discarding End of Anubis, all Life Point damage is reduced to zero this turn."

The three Mine Golems exploded, each hitting the barrier harmlessly. Obsidian looked furious. "Damn it! Mine Detonation destroys all of my Mine Golems… fine. I end my turn."

Hope sighed in relief. "That was close…"

"Obsidian seems to focus on doing damage in large amounts," Gaston observed. "It is a good thing Max had that trap ready."

"Your Swords irritate me," Max said. "I play Cyclone, destroying them. Then I attack your Aztec Statue with Goblin Elite Force, and your defense monster with Element Devil."

"That was my Guardian Statue," Obsidian said. (800/1400)

"Now I can use my Element Devil's effect! When a Wind Main-Type monster is on my field and Element Devil destroys a monster, he can attack again! He attacks you directly!" Max declared. "Then Newt does so as well!"

Max: 4000

Obsidian: 4600

Obsidian was able to remain standing as he endured the two electric zaps that occurred. "Heheh… that actually helps me." He drew and sneered. "This is what I needed. I play Angel's Gift to draw three cards… perfect! I discard Great Spirit and Moya Frontline Artillery. Then I remove my seven Rock Sub-Types from my Cemetery to special summon Megarock Dragon!" (?)

The behemoth that appeared before them instantly explained why Obsidian had such a cocky attitude now. It was a huge beast made of sharp rocks that stood at least five times taller than them. It glared down at Max with red, pupil-less eyes.

"Megarock Dragon cannot be normal summoned," Obsidian said. "He is special summoned by removing Rock Sub-Type Monsters from my Cemetery. His attack and defense is equal to the number of Rock Sub-Type monsters I have removed when he is special summoned times 700. (4900/4900) He attacks Element Devil!"

The Megarock Dragon roared as it pointed its spikes at Element Devil. They shot out, tearing the monster apart.

Max: 600

Obsidian: 4600

The resulting shock was not as severe as the previous one, but it was still very painful. Max was barely able to remain standing while Brandi seemed practically unconscious. Max was not about to give up though. "My Goblin Elite Force is already in defense mode due to their effect. I switch Newt to defense mode and lay two cards down."

"Max…" Hope said softly.

"He's not out yet," Gaston assured. "Just wait and see."

"I play Shield Crush!" Obsidian declared. "That destroys one monster on the field that is in defense mode. I will eliminate your Newt so that its effect will not hinder me. Then Megarock Dragon destroys your Goblins!"

Once the devastating attack had ended, Max drew. The card made him smirk. "This works well. I activate my trap card, Cry of the Living Dead, for End of Anubis!" (2500/0)

"What do you hope to do with that?" Obsidian asked.

"I sacrifice End of Anubis for Great Demon Gaazetto! (0/0) His attack is twice the amount of the monster sacrificed for him! (5000/0) That makes him strong enough to destroy your Megarock Dragon!" Max declared. "Gaazetto attacks him!"

The Gaazetto proceeded to tear apart the Megarock Dragon, leaving only five scales behind.

Max: 600

Obsidian: 4500

The minor shock was easy to recover from, so Obsidian was swift to straighten. "Since you destroyed Megarock Dragon in battle, I activate Onyx's Deck Master ability." The scales cracked open, revealing five monsters. "When you destroy a monster of mine in battle, I can special summon monsters from my deck. Their combined attack must be less than the destroyed monster's defense strength. I get two Lost Guardians, Aztec Statue, Moya Frontline Artillery, and Great Spirit."

"I cannot let you get away with that," Max said, flipping over his other trap card. "I activate Tidal Wave. This destroys all of the monsters on the field."

"That is a risky move," Obsidian pointed out. "If I get a monster next turn, you're finished!" Nevertheless, Obsidian's forehead was covered with nervous sweat.

"Normally, yes. But I have a Deck Master. Tenma, come forth!" Max commanded. Tenma sprang out. (2500/0) "It's your turn."

Obsidian cursed as he saw what he had drawn. "I pass…"

"I summon Deathcalibur Knight! (1900/1800) He attacks you directly, as does Tenma!" Max said.

The Deathcalibur sliced into Obsidian with his sword, and then Tenma tore into him with his claws.

Max: 600

Obsidian: 100  
The two electric shocks left Obsidian leaning against Onyx for support. "D-damn it…"

"Take your turn," Max said with a smirk.

"…I lay a monster down… and end…" Obsidian said, knowing it was useless.

"I have the perfect way to kill you," Max said as he looked at his hand. "Remember that Mimic of Darkness Lv 1 I got a while ago? I'm summoning him now." (100/1000)

"No… you have to be kidding…" Obsidian groaned as the Mimic appeared.

"It's what you deserve. Tenma attacks your defense monster!" Tenma ripped apart the Sentry Golem. (800/1800) "Then Mimic of Darkness Lv 1 kills you!" The Mimic bounded forward and sank its teeth into Obsidian.

Max: 600

Obsidian: 0

A final shock consumed Obsidian. He screamed out before falling, dead before he hit the ground. Onyx vanished at once.

"Hah… I got him…" Max said before falling to his knees, exhausted.

"Are you all right?" Hope asked worriedly.

"Yeah… go help Brandi… I'm fine…" Max said as he began to remove the rings.

"Okay." Hope went to Brandi and started to pry apart the clasps.

"Hope…" Brandi whispered.

"It's over now," Hope assured. "You're not going to be hurt anymore." She managed to open the last clasp and helped Brandi down, laying her on the ground.

"Let me down…" Mana said to Gaston.

"Can you support yourself now?" Gaston asked.

"I think so… and I believe I have enough strength to help Brandi," Mana replied.

"Then go for it." Gaston placed her upright. Mana staggered a moment, and then was able to float over to Brandi.

"I'll handle this," Mana said. "Max needs you, Hope."

"Right." Hope left them to go to Max, inserting a few Red Potions cards as she went.

Mana placed her hands over Brandi's heart, concentrating. A white light went from her hands into Brandi, instantly healing all of the wounds she had acquired.

"Mana!" Brandi exclaimed, sitting up. "Your healing powers…"

"They've improved," Mana explained. "Since I'm a Magician's Valkyria now, I can heal you completely. But I think my uses of it are restricted now. I probably won't be able to do that again for a few days."

"That's fine," Brandi said. "Thank you for doing that."

"Happy to help," Mana answered with a smile. Her mind was elsewhere though. _That's odd. I felt like I healed her twice… why did that happen?_

"Is that enough?" Hope asked as she handed Max her final Red Potion.

He drank it. "Yeah. I think that covers everything. Thanks."

Brandi and Mana joined them. Hope looked up and smiled. "You look like you've been healed completely."

"I was," Brandi answered, sitting next to them. "I'm really grateful to both of you. Thank you very much for saving us."

"I'm glad we made it in time," Hope said as Max nodded.

"How did you know I was here?" Brandi asked.

"Miles overheard your captors talking," Gaston explained.

"When we were in the forest?" Mana inquired. "I was conscious then, but barely."

"That's right," Gaston confirmed.

Brandi looked anxious as she said, "What about Larka? Did you find her?"

"Zack and Angela went to save her," Hope assured. "I'm sure they will succeed."

"Yeah. Zack looked fit to kill," Gaston commented. "And Angela is… well… you saw what she can do."

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Brandi asked.

"We're going to return to the mountain," Max said. "That is where the group is waiting. They stayed behind to duel a messenger that was coming to inform us of your capture."

"Heinskitz, or something," Gaston shrugged. "Either way, I propose we take a few minutes to rest, and then head back."

"I agree. We deserve some down time after all that," Hope said.

"All right. Five minutes and we'll head back on a ship," Max said, sitting back. The others did as well, finally letting themselves relax.

To be continued…


	8. Panic

Yep. I got lots of time to work on this today, so it's up. Good show.

**Chapter Eight: Panic**

Larka did not know where she was. She tried to look around, to see her surroundings, but all that met her was darkness. Moving her body parts was impossible, although she had no idea why that seemed wrong.

A sudden realization had hit her. She could not _feel_. Dreading what she would see, she attempted to look at herself. Her body was not there. Completely confused now, Larka tried to lift her arms again, to no avail.

_What has happened to me? _Larka thought frantically. She strained to speak, but found it impossible, as though her vocal cords had vanished. Then again… it had seemed as though her entire body had.

_Why? Why am I like this?_ Then a memory came back to her, one of a dagger being plunged into her chest. _I died! He… he killed me!_

_Is this… what lies beyond death? An eternal void?_ _No… that can't be right… To be alone here… forever… that can't be…_

Yet no matter how she wished that was not true, no other alternative seemed possible. And that filled her with despair.

…

Zack and Angela walked in silence. Most of Zack's thoughts were worries about what was happening to Larka. About halfway there he took his deck from his Duel Disk and checked over it before sliding it back into place.

It was impossible for him to imagine what was going through Angela's mind. Her gaze was fixated ahead and her eyes gave away nothing. Other people might have felt awkward, but Zack was thankful for the silence at the moment. It gave him time to straighten his mind before reaching their destination.

When they entered the actual canyon area, Zack thought of something he wanted to inquire on. "Angela? May I ask you something?"

"Yes," she replied flatly.

"Since Larka is not here, who are you taking orders from?" Zack said.

"While the substitute is not present, you will command me. I believe that is what the substitute would wish for," Angela answered.

"I see…" Zack trailed off as they reached the ravine before the cave. "Hm… I can fly over this. What about you?"

"Crossing this distance is of no concern for me," Angela said.

"Very well then." Zack activated the devices that allowed him to hover before leaping over. He made it easily. After turning them off again, he called to Angela, "It's your turn."

Angela backed up and then took a running leap, sailing over the ravine and landing on her feet. "Cleared. Awaiting new orders."

"Impressive," Zack commented before turning back to the cave. "I don't know what we will find in here. Be ready for anything. I'll go first."

"Affirmative." Angela followed him in.

The tunnel only went one way, but was completely dark. Zack was able to see fairly well due to adjustments with his eyes, but he wondered about his companion. "Angela? Can you see in here?"

"Yes. My eyesight is still one hundred percent effective in dark environments," Angela stated.

"Good. We should not have any problems with that then." He continued on.

They soon reached a point where it looked like there had been two routes. The one to the right was blocked off though, completely caved in. "I suppose this is the only way to go," Zack said, heading left with Angela close behind.

The tunnel opened into a huge cavern. They instantly saw that this had to be their destination. The numerous bloodstains, bared bones, cracked tombstones, and ruined coffins left little room for doubt.

"Now we know what he meant by the Cave of Dead…" Zack muttered, looking disgusted at the sight. He went towards the center of the area, carefully avoiding the debris and body parts.

When Zack got closer to it, he was able to see the back wall. There was a rock by it, and a closed coffin on top of the rock. Unlike all of the other ones, this coffin was closed and not broken in any way. Getting a horrible feeling about the coffin, he swiftly went to it.

As he approached it, he saw that the coffin had what looked like a glass lid, allowing a viewer to see what was in it. The sight caused Zack to instantly run forward and lean over the coffin. "Larka!"

Larka did not respond to his cry. She lay motionless in the coffin, her arms crossed over her chest. It looked like she was unconscious, yet…

"Larka! Please answer me!" When she still did not move, Zack looked at where her arms were crossed. To his horror, he saw that her chest, where her heart lay, was covered in blood.

"No… Larka… you can't be…" Refusing to believe his eyes, Zack tried to open the coffin, only to find that it was locked.

"Do not bother. It is far too late."

Zack turned to see Crucio standing behind him, as though he had materialized out of nowhere. He instantly brought out his switchblade. "What have you done to her?"

"Oh, not much really…" Crucio brought out his Dagger of Butterflies. It was caked with dry blood. "Merely one stab. The human body is so frail… not as much as the mind, but still weak."

"Enemy detected. Will commence attack," Angela said. Her hair whipped back, like a snake about to strike.

"Hold on," Crucio said, holding up a hand. Zack had been about to charge himself. "I know you would love to kill me, but your friend's life is on the line. Brandi is still alive. I can alert Obsidian before dying and tell him to kill her."

Although Zack wanted nothing more than to slice apart Crucio, his words brought him to a halt. "Angela, do not attack."

"Affirmative." Angela's hair returned to its normal length. "Will wait for order to strike."

The Dagger of Butterflies vanished from his hand. "Zackary Wright, I assume. I hope you do not mind me calling you Zack? It seems most do."

"How do you know my name?" Zack demanded.

"Her mind revealed everything to me." From behind Crucio emerged a Soul Monster. It looked like a blue brain with four brown, stick-like legs and three yellow claws on each foot. Two ragged pink wings came from its back, and from the front produced a long, blue neck with a single, yellow eyeball. "This is Defringo, a Brain Jacker. He can read minds. So before I slew her… I had the foresight to take all of the information I could first."

"Quit talking about her that way!" Zack snarled.

"What way? As though she is property to be used to my convenience? Or that she is dead?" Crucio inquired.

"Both!" Zack answered.

"But she is. She started as a specimen, and she ended as one," Crucio said. "I merely tell the truth on both accounts."

"You have no right to use Larka like that!" Zack said furiously.

"Really? I was given full permission by my leader. I would say that is all the right I need." Crucio smirked as he adjusted his glasses. "But I can see why you would think otherwise. The bond you two share is truly remarkable. She really did love you. I was actually told later that her final thoughts were solely based on you. Probably wishing she could have a final chance to see you. It is funny, how people want such small things in their last moments of life…"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Zack brought his Duel Disk forward with a snap as it activated. "You want to toy with minds? Try mine! If you won't let me kill you outright, I shall do it this way!"

"Revenge, eh? So many think of revenge when it is so pointless. Killing me will not bring her back," Crucio pointed out.

"I don't care… for what you have done, I can't allow you to live!" Zack declared. "I WON'T allow you to live!"

Crucio shrugged. "All right then. I will not object to more experiments. But I do request one thing. Tell the Guardian to stay out of this. I do not wish to fight with her at the moment."

"Angela, this is my fight," Zack said to her. "I ask you to let me handle this."

"As you wish," Angela replied, going next to the coffin.

"Very good. Now, we should lay out the duel conditions." Crucio turned on his Duel Disk before continuing. "I noticed you are a cyborg. To be honest, this interests me. Just how would your mind have changed after becoming a machine? For this duel, I want these conditions. I will remove my shield, so that when you do enough damage, I die. But as for you… your cards will be your memories. When you lose them, you lose your memories. In reality, Defringo will be taking them. If you lose all of your cards, you will have lost all of your memories, and as a mindless machine, you will follow my commands. Fair enough?"

"What if I win? Do I get my memories back?" Zack asked, not seeming intimidated by the rules.

"Yes. All of them," Crucio assured.

"Then I accept. Let's begin this!" Zack said, eyes flashing.

…

Larka had still been in a state of anguish when she heard the voice. "_Larka!"_

_Zack?_ Hope entered Larka. _Zack, is that really you? But… his voice… why does it sound so… odd?_

"_Larka!_ _Please answer me!"_ There was a pause, and then he said, "_No… Larka… you can't be…"_

_His voice… it has… despair…_ Larka realized.

"_Do not bother. It is far too late."_

Larka instantly recognized Crucio's voice as well. The small bit of hope she had obtained faded at his words.

"_What have you done to her?"_

"_Oh, not much really… Merely one stab. The human body is so frail… not as much as the mind, but still weak."_

That was when Larka realized what had occurred. Zack had seen her, yes… he had seen her corpse. And that confirmed what she had feared; she was dead.

"_Enemy detected. Will commence attack."_

_Angela too…_ Larka thought as despair began to consume her once more.

"_Hold on. I know you would love to kill me, but your friend's life is on the line. Brandi is still alive. I can alert Obsidian before dying and tell him to kill her."_

_Brandi… maybe they can… at least… save her…_ Larka continued to listen to them speak in their odd, echoing tones, but the rest was a blur. She could barely bring herself to concentrate on their words.

"_THAT'S ENOUGH!"_ Zack's yell broke through her sorrow. She had never heard him speak in such a tone, had not known he was even capable of it until now. "_You want to toy with minds? Try mine! If you won't let me kill you outright, I shall do it this way!"_

_Zack… _More than anything, Larka wished she could somehow talk to him, say something to keep him from risking himself as well. But it was hopeless to want that and she knew it.

"…_your cards will be your memories. When you lose them, you lose your memories. In reality, Defringo will be taking them. If you lose all of your cards, you will have lost all of your memories, and as a mindless machine, you will follow my commands. Fair enough?"_

_No! Zack, don't! Don't do this! It's too late anyway…_ Larka thought.

"_What if I win? Do I get my memories back?"_

"_Yes. All of them."_

"_Then I accept. Let's begin this!"_

_No... I didn't want this to happen… if Zack loses because of me… then… I deserve to go through this…_

…

Zack: 8000

Crucio: 8000

"As my one act of kindness, I will let you decide who goes first," Crucio said.

"I go first, by summoning Magical Reflector Reflect Bounder! (1700/1000) I lay a card down. Take your turn," Zack growled.

"Excellent. Already I get to see what some of your thoughts are like." Crucio delicately slid a card onto his Duel Disk. "I summon Don Zaruug. (1400/1500) Then I equip him with Bow of Falling Stars-Shiiru. It reduces his attack by 1000, but he can now attack directly. (400/1500) He will do so."

The gun Don Zaruug held changed into an elegant bow. He shot an arrow into the air. It arced over the Reflect Bounder to hit Zack.

Zack: 7600

Crucio: 8000

"Don Zaruug's affect is activated. When he does Life Point damage to you, I can choose to have him either discard a card from your hand or two from your deck. I will have the latter occur," Crucio said.

"All right… I lose Air Guard Gear Golem and Immense Battleship Big Core," Zack responded.

As the Golem went into the Cemetery, he felt a sense of loss, but it was small. When the Big Core was discarded, his mind seemed to jolt. He had a brief image of Crystal and his children before they vanished.

"What… was that?" Zack said out loud, trying to recall who he had just seen. Their names eluded him. He could not even remember their appearance now.

"I would say you have lost your first major memory," Crucio stated. "Some of your cards will contain more valuable memories than others. You will know when they are taken."

Zack did not respond to his explanation. "Are you done?"

"Almost. I lay one card down and play Grave Keeper Familiar," Crucio concluded.

"What is Grave Keeper Familiar?" Zack inquired.

"It is a permanent magic card. Every time one of your monsters attacks, you lose a card from your deck," Crucio replied. "Go ahead."

"I summon KA-2 Death Scissors. (1000/1000) It attacks Don Zaruug!" Zack said.

"Your attack is halted by my trap card, Emissary of Harmony," Crucio retorted. "But you still attacked. That means you must discard a card from your deck."

"It was my Bandit's Swiss Army Knife… go," Zack ended.

"I attack directly with Zaruug again," Crucio said. Another bolt pierced Zack.

Zack: 7200

Crucio: 8000

"Discard two cards," he ordered.

"Drillago and Enemy Controller…" Zack wondered if the memories he was losing from his other cards were really as insignificant as Crucio claimed. He doubted it.

"I place a monster and two other cards. Your turn," Crucio said.

"I summon Bowgunian (1300/1000) and attack Zaruug with Scissors," Zack decided.

"Afraid not. I respond with Holy Barrier-Mirror Force!" Crucio countered. "Although it unfortunately negates your attack, both of your monsters are destroyed, which I find much more favorable."

"That is fine," Zack said. "Because now I activate Cry of the Living Dead, to revive my KA-2 Death Scissors! It attacks Don Zaruug!"

The mechanical crab sliced cleanly through Don Zaruug, and then stabbed Crucio four times.

"What?" Crucio exclaimed as the wounds began to bleed.

"My Scissors have an effect," Zack informed him. "For each level a monster that it destroyed has, you lose 500 Life Points. You've lost 2000 from its effect and 600 from actual battle damage."

Zack: 7200

Crucio: 5400

"But I do lose a card for it… Angel's Gift. I think this is the first time I have been happy to not get it," Zack said. "I am done."

"A small setback, nothing more," Crucio stated as he straightened. "I flip over Needle Worm. (750/600) His reverse effect forces you to discard five cards from the top of your deck."

"A large amount…" Zack sighed. "I lose 7 Card, my second KA-2 Death Scissors, Holy Barrier-Mirror Force, Tempest, and Sphere Bomb…"

"Also, Defringo's Deck Master ability activates," Crucio added. "When I successfully reverse summon a monster, you lose a number of cards from your deck equal to that monster's level. Needle Worm is level two, so discard two cards."

Zack slowly slid them into his Cemetery. "Cyber Raider and Cannon Soldier…"

"Then I activate my trap card, Strong Base Assault!" Crucio continued. "I destroy a monster on my field-Needle Worm this time-and you lose two cards from your deck!"

"Attack Nullification and… Immense Battleship Tetoran…" Zack winced as his head flared with pain. He had an image of the group before it was gone. Bewildered, he looked around the cave.

"Another memory is gone," Crucio observed.

Zack caught sight of Angela, but to his surprise, he did not recognize her. "Why are you here?"

"You ordered me to not interfere," Angela replied emotionlessly. "Do you wish for me to help?"

"No… I just felt like… I knew you somehow…" Shaking his head, Zack said, "Are you done?"

"I lay one monster down and end my turn." Crucio smirked. "It truly is amusing to see all of this. Imagine what your love would think if she could hear you now."

"I won't forget Larka!" Zack responded fiercely.

"Oh, that's what you say… but that will change." Crucio shrugged. "But believe what you want. Perhaps she is happy in Heaven right now. Or maybe screaming in Hell. Or something that I would think is far worse than either… trapped in the Hell that is nothingness."

"What do you mean?" Zack demanded.

"None of us know what lies beyond death," Crucio replied. "Not even you, although you have died. Some believe in Heaven and Hell, but is that really what there is? What if the soul continued to exist in the perished body, trapped forever? What if your love's soul, caged in her own corpse, could hear your words now? I find it quite interesting to consider…"

…

Crucio's words hit Larka hard. She had never thought of what he suggested. But if that was true…

_This is… all that's left? To be chained to my body… forever? _Any hopes that Larka might have been trying to keep hidden, hidden below all her doubts, were gone with those words.

She might have been broken there, if not for Zack's voice coming after that. He was still fighting Crucio. And for that reason… Larka forced herself to listen. If she was beyond saving, at least Zack had a chance of winning.

…

"I've heard enough!" Zack snarled. "I summon Drillago! (1600/1100) I lay a card down and attack your monster with Scissors!"

"You've hit Metamol Pot. (700/600) We discard our hands and draw five cards," Crucio said. "Very helpful for me, seeing as I did not have a hand."

"I discard Air Guard Gear Golem and Early Burial… and Magic Cylinder from my deck…" Zack drew five cards as he watched his Scissors stab Crucio twice. "Drillago attacks you directly." The machine went forward and pierced Crucio with its drills. "I discard Time Machine…"

Zack: 7200

Crucio: 2800

"I end my turn." Zack was getting concerned now. His deck looked like it had only a little less than ten cards in it. But Crucio was weakened greatly. That seemed good.

"I summon Devil Cook. (1800/1000) He attacks Drillago," Crucio declared.

With a wicked laugh, the Devil Cook stabbed the Drillago with his hook hand and then sliced it with his huge butcher knife.

Zack: 7000

Crucio: 2800

"When you take damage from Devil Cook, you draw two cards," Crucio said.

"All right." Zack did so.

"I play a magic card, Shallow Grave!" Crucio went on. "We each select a monster from our Cemetery and place it in face-down defense mode. I get Needle Worm."

Zack retrieved his monster. "Drillago."

"I play Hand Obliteration! This forces us to discard our hands and draw cards equal to the amount we had," Crucio told him.

"I can't let that happen! I activate Magic Jammer, discarding Roulette Bomber to negate and destroy your magic card!" Zack countered.

Crucio shrugged. "Oh well. Go ahead."

"…I cannot see a way around this," Zack said grimly. "If I wait, you will flip Needle Worm on your own, and I will lose more cards… so… I play Cyclone on your Grave Keeper Familiar. Then I lay one card face down and flip over Drillago. My Scissors attack Needle Worm!"

Although the Scissors punched through the Needle Worm and jabbed Crucio twice, he seemed satisfied by Zack's play. "Discard five cards."

Zack reluctantly followed his command. "Cannon Soldier, Sphere Bomb, Limiter Removal, Tidal Wave, and… Immense Battleship Crystal Core…"

Once the Crystal Core was gone, he felt a sharp pain. An image of Larka was there, and then gone.

"Who… was that?" Zack shook his head a few times. "I don't understand. What am I… doing here?"

"Dueling me," Crucio replied. "Do you wish to continue?"

"But… why am I dueling you?" Zack asked, confused.

"You wished to kill him for what he did to the substitute," Angela replied.

"Substitute?" Zack glanced at the coffin. "You mean her?"

"Yes." Angela did not elaborate beyond that.

"…Odd… I feel like… I should know her…" Zack sighed and looked at his hand. "I guess I will continue. Drillago… has not attacked yet? I will have Drillago attack directly. It can, when you have no monsters that have 1600 attack or above."

Crucio was drilled brutally. He was barely able to stand now, blood pouring from his numerous injuries.

Zack: 7000

Crucio: 200

"Why continue to fight me over someone you do not know?" Crucio inquired, trying to stand straight. "You have never met her, right?"

"No… never… from what I know…" Zack responded.

"Then I must wonder why you feel so desperate to kill me," Crucio said. "What if she was not someone you wanted to meet? What if I am, as you would call it, the 'good guy' here?"

"…I do not know… if only I knew why… she looked familiar…" Zack muttered, putting a hand to his forehead.

…

This was the final blow for Larka. Hearing her own sentence had been horrible enough. But now she was being forced to listen to Zack be manipulated, from a loss of memories… it was as though he was dying too. And to forget her…

_What have I done now? I… I dragged him into this, and… if I am to be punished for doing that, by having him forget me, then I… I accept that… but don't take all of him away! Please, Zack, you have to regain yourself! Please!_

Her helplessness to do anything caused Larka to be overwhelmed. If she had the ability to cry, she knew she would be doing so now.

…

"So how about you surrender? That way, neither of us die," Crucio offered. "We might be able to help each other."

"…I don't know…" Zack replied, straining to recall something, something that he had forgotten, something important…

Angela's voice cut through his concentration. "The substitute is showing life signs."

"What?" Zack turned back to see what Angela was referring to.

Up until this point, Larka had been still, pale, not even breathing. But now there was something to disprove all of their beliefs in her death. A tear had emerged from her closed eye.

"She is… alive… I've never met her, yet… I feel… relieved…" Zack thought for a moment. "I knew she was dead. I think I did, anyway. But now she is alive? How?"

"I cannot say," Angela answered. "If I could examine her body, I would be able to answer."

"I see…" Zack faced Crucio again. He looked at his deck, which now had one card. Then he said, "I will not surrender. There must be a reason I am dueling. A good reason."

"As you wish," Crucio said. "I summon Samurai of Strange Behavior. (1000/1000) Then I play Secret Passage to the Treasury, which allows him to attack directly."

"What happens when he does?" Zack asked.

"You will be forced to draw until your hand contains seven cards," Crucio answered. "He attacks directly."

"I halt him with Attack Nullification," Zack responded.

"Not a problem. I activate Book of the Moon, to flip my Samurai to face-down defense mode. Then I lay a card down and end my turn," Crucio concluded.

Zack slowly brought out his last card and looked at it. The name of it was Immense Battleship Covered Core.

_I know I have met that person before… but where…_ Zack closed his eyes, trying to remember…

…

_Zack sat at the top of the flight of stairs at the Sky Temple, staring off into the distance, where the sun was setting. There was nobody else there. If there had been, an observer would have claimed him to be completely calm, settled, relaxed._

_If someone had told that to Zack, he would have laughed at just how wrong the assessment would be. _

_Truthfully, he could not recall the last time he had been filled with so much anticipation. Wait… yes, he could. When he had confessed his feelings to her. But that had been three years ago. Three long years of waiting. Although it was not as bad as the seven two of his friends had to endure, three years had still hurt._

_Nevertheless, he had endured them. They had passed. And he was now waiting. He had promised he would. Had promised her._

_A sudden series of excited barks broke through his thoughts. He looked down the staircase to see a brown blur speeding up them. Before he could react, the puppy tackled him in the chest, licking him furiously._

"_Malon!"_ _Zack managed to grab him and get up, holding the puppy in front of him. "You seem as lively as ever."_

_Malon_ _yipped in response, his tongue hanging out of his mouth._

"_If you are here… then she must be…" Zack trailed off as he heard a cry._

"_Zack!"_

_He recognized her voice instantly, yet he could hardly believe that it was finally over. Zack set Malon on the floor and turned his gaze back to the staircase._

_Malon_ _had been fast, but she was even faster to come running up the stairs, as though they did not exist to hinder her. Then she was in his arms, and crying heavily. But they were tears of happiness, he knew that at once._

"_Oh, Zack… I missed you so much…" she sobbed, her embrace tightening._

_It was real. That was all Zack could think for a moment. Then he whispered, "As I have missed you… Larka."_

…

"Larka!" Zack exclaimed as his eyes flashed open.

"What? Impossible… how could you remember?" Crucio said in astonishment.

"I told you, I would never forget her!" Zack tapped Scissors. "And I can still destroy you!"

"Not with him," Crucio retorted. "I activate Torture Wheel, pinning your Scissors."

"I never said I would be using my Scissors," Zack stated. "I am actually going to sacrifice it, along with Drillago… for Immense Battleship Covered Core!" (2500/800)

"No… then it is over for me…" Crucio realized as Covered Core emerged.

"Yes. Covered Core attacks!" Zack said.

The lasers tore apart the Devil Cook and slammed through both Crucio and his Soul Monster. When the lights faded, all that was left of them was blood to add another stain to the soiled ground.

Zack: 7000

Crucio: 0

Zack's field faded away as his Duel Disk shut off. When he returned his deck to its slot, he felt one final ache before his mind was clear.

"I… really did lose… my memories…" Zack shook his head. "That was far too close for my liking…" Then he went to the coffin.

Larka had still not moved. The tear was there to prove of her life though. Zack brought out his switchblade and slammed it into the lock, crushing it. He opened the coffin. "Angela, now can you tell me what happened to her?"

Angela laid her hand on Larka's forehead and was silent in thought. Then she said, "Cause identified. Withering Potion was used."

"Withering Potion?" Zack said.

"Yes. It paralyzes and numbs the entire body of the victim," Angela informed him. "However, tear ducts would still work. That is why the substitute was able to cry."

"Larka…" Zack looked down at her again. "How can we cure her?"

"The magic card Angel's Blood dispels the effects of Withering Potion," Angela said.

"I… think I have that…" Zack swiftly brought out his support cards and went through them. He stopped around the middle. "Here it is!" He put the rest away and slid it into his Duel Disk.

"It is advised that you hold out your hand," Angela stated.

"Oh… all right." Zack held out his right hand. As he did, drops of blood fell into it, until his hand was filled with it.

"Have her drink," Angela instructed.

"Okay." Zack moved her into a sitting position, using his left arm to support her, and slowly administered the blood flow through her nearly-closed lips. Once it was done, he waited anxiously, helping her stay upright.

It did not take long for a reaction. Larka's eyes slowly opened. "…Z-Zack?"

Zack found it impossible to respond with words. He forced himself to nod.

Larka was silent for a moment, her eyes glistening. Then she suddenly wrapped her arms around him, crying fiercely. Zack embraced her at once in hopes of comforting her.

After some time, Larka finally spoke, not looking up. "I'm sorry… so sorry…"

"For what?" Zack asked.

"For being weak…" she sobbed.

"You weren't weak," Zack said reassuringly. "Not at all. Having to go through what you did… you could hear what we were saying, I assume. That would cause most minds to shatter. But you survived. That isn't weak…"

"You nearly lost yourself! All because of me…" Larka wept.

"It was my choice to fight him under those conditions," Zack said. "You didn't make me do that." He sighed regretfully. "I should be the one apologizing… I nearly forgot you…"

"No!" Larka turned her gaze upwards at last. "You did remember! Even though you weren't supposed to… you did…" She buried her face into his shirt again, unsuccessfully trying to control her tears.

"The one responsible for all of this is dead," Zack stated. "We will get nowhere by blaming ourselves. So do not worry about that any more…"

Larka nodded, unable to speak at the moment.

"We have to return to everyone else," Zack said. "They stayed behind to stop a messenger that was to tell us that you and Brandi were captured. Hope and Max went to save Brandi."

"That's good…" Larka wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "How did you find me?"

"Miles overheard the Judges talking," Zack explained.

"Miles? He's back?" Larka asked.

"Yes, he finally is," Zack confirmed.

"I'm glad to hear…" She looked at Angela. "Why did you come too?"

"It is under my orders to make sure that the substitute is kept safe," Angela replied.

"Oh…" Larka tried to get out of the coffin, but nearly fell in the process. Zack was quick to catch her.

"Maybe it would be easier to do this," Zack suggested as he lifted Larka.

"All right," Larka agreed, wrapping her arms around his neck for support. "Sorry… my body still doesn't want to respond very much…"

"I guess it will take time for you to feel completely normal," Zack assumed. "That's fine. Take this time to relax."

"Thank you… and thank you for saving me…" Larka said.

"Of course." Zack's eyes darkened slightly. "I am thankful that it was not too late. When I saw you lying there… I thought…" He shook his head. "It is something I do not want to think about."

Larka looked at the blood on her shirt. "I still do not understand how I survived…"

"There is an 87.72 percent probability that you were stabbed close to the heart in such a way that it would be fatal, but not at once, and were then healed before dying," Angela stated.

"And then he would have given me the potion when I was unconscious… I could hear everything, but the voices echoed… because of the coffin…" Larka shivered at the thought of it.

"It's over now. You won't have to go through that ever again," Zack said softly. Then he said to Angela, "Would you mind leading the way? I am ill prepared to combat threats like this."

"I will lead." Angela turned to go out the hallway.

"Oh, Angela… thank you for helping," Larka said before she was gone.

Angela looked back at her briefly. "I am happy to be of service." Then she stepped outside.

"She didn't sound very happy…" Larka said quietly.

"Lacking emotions… it was what I feared becoming," Zack stated. "I still do, but now I know how to prevent it. Who knows what she thinks about it." He followed her out. "Let us return to the group. We can decide what to do from there."

Larka nodded, remaining silent. After what had happened, that was all she wanted; a peaceful silence to recover in.

To be continued…


	9. Desire

Since this might have confused some people, I'll provide two translations. Withering Potion is Paralyzing Potion, an equip magic card that stops any monster (besides a Machine Sub-Type) from attacking. Angel's Blood is Soul of the Pure, a magic card that heals 800 Life Points. Also, the Bow had a good reason to be there. Many of Crucio's monsters operated by attacking directly, and all but the Samurai had more than 1000 attack.

**Chapter Nine: Desire**

The six Judges met in an abandoned building in the city, as planned. It was about the only part of their plan that had gone right.

"I can't believe it," Seiryu said. "How did they know where to find Obsidian and Crucio?" The two Judges were supposed to have reported an hour ago. Since they still had not, it was assumed that they were dead.

"They are not to be underestimated," Kai replied coolly.

"It's all your fault, Kasmaru!" Alamaru said to his brother, who glared back at him.

"So that strategy failed," Ouka assumed.

Pariah, as silent as ever, nodded.

"Time to come up with a new one," Seiryu stated.

"How about my plan? Will you let me set that in motion?" Ouka requested.

Seiryu considered her words, and then nodded. "All right, I give you permission. The rest of you, call it a day. We'll decide what to do tomorrow." He walked outside.

"It's your turn to pay for food," Alamaru told Kasmaru as they went to the door.

"According to you, it's always my turn," Kasmaru retorted before they were outside. Pariah quietly went after them.

Ouka was about to take her leave when she heard Kai say, "Ouka. Hold on a second, would you?"

She turned to him. "Yes?"

"This person you are about to go after… he is not to be underestimated," Kai said. "Be careful."

"You have nothing to worry about," Ouka replied. "But thanks for your concern anyway." She exited the building.

"…Hm," was all Kai said before he left.

…

"And Blue Eyes White Dragon attacks, making that the fifth win I've gotten against you," Draken said to Rue.

"Dang it! I can never win unless I'm fighting for my life!" Rue complained, gathering his cards and shuffling them.

"That's weird, isn't it? Let's call it the Rue Curse," Draken suggested.

"Well, yeah, seeing as I'm the only one it happens to," Rue pointed out.

"Nah, I'm sure some poor sap will suffer the same infliction later," Miles commented. "That means your name will be remembered even after you die, as the guy who first suffered the dreaded curse and named it after himself."

"Like that'll happen," Rue snorted.

Kazel was sunbathing a short distance away. "No sign of them yet?" she asked as Neo came over.

"None," he answered, crossing his arms. "I'm starting to get worried. It's been at least two hours."

"The sun will set soon," Will remarked from where he sat with his book open.

Kisara was leaning against Kazel's body from her sitting position. "We cannot leave until they return."

"I wasn't saying we would." Will turned a page. "It was an observation, that's all."

"Yeah. We have to go home soon to feed the owls," Neo explained.

"Owls?" Rue asked, looking up.

"That's right. You see, Will sometimes has odd sleeping habits," Neo told them. "He likes to stay up at night and then sleep throughout the day, as if he's nocturnal or something. Occasionally these three owls will stop by when he does."

"And you feed them?" Miles said.

"Yep," Neo confirmed.

"Ask them how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop," Rue joked.

"I tried. The first two licked it once, and the third one crunched it up. I assume that meant three," Neo said.

Draken blinked. "Wow. That's… interesting."

"Also, the owls like to try and debate with each other," Neo recalled. "The first one, a white owl, hoots first. Then the brown one hoots back. The white hoots, the brown hoots, they continue doing it until the grey one hoots at the end. So I named them Orly, Yarly, and Nowai."

"Fitting," Miles remarked.

"I thought it was," Neo agreed.

"What's your opinion on them?" Rue asked Will.

"No comment," he answered, turning another page.

"Fine, don't engage in friendly conversation," Rue muttered.

Kazel lifted her head, sniffing the air. "Wait. Someone is coming."

They all fell silent and watched the path hopefully. It could be an enemy or one of the returning groups; the question was which.

Angela emerged from the path. "All clear. Safe to proceed."

"Whoo! Group number one has returned!" Rue said.

"The question is, triumphant or not?" Draken wondered.

"I'd call that triumphant!" Miles said as Zack and Larka appeared as well. Larka seemed to be holding onto Zack's arm for support, but had otherwise recovered from the physical effects of the Withering Potion.

"Welcome back," Will said to them, looking up from his book briefly.

"Thank you," Larka replied with a smile.

"So how did it go?" Draken asked.

"Crucio is dead," Zack said shortly. "Not much else to say."

"Wow. I heard it mentioned, but I'm amazed at how you haven't changed appearance-wise," Miles said to Larka. "Good to see you again."

Larka nodded. "You too."

"Are you hurt?" Kisara inquired.

"No, I'm fine, thanks," Larka answered. Her grip on Zack's arm tightened a bit as she said this, but nobody seemed to notice.

"It seems the others have not returned yet," Zack observed.

"Not yet. They did have farther to travel though," Gen pointed out.

"True." Zack leaned against one of the rock walls with Larka next to him. Angela stayed by the path entrance, watching it vigilantly.

"Hey, whatever happened to Malon?" Neo asked.

Zack looked at his pocket guiltily. "Ack. I forgot I had him with me…" He brought out the Soul Card and handed it to Larka. "Sorry."

"It's okay, he probably would have had problems with the mountain anyway." Larka brought out Malon, who instantly began barking happily, jumping at her, and licking furiously. "Malon! Down!"

"Someone's happy," Miles laughed.

"And that person isn't Rue," Draken commented, shuffling his deck. "Want to play again?"

"I'll pass. The others should be back soon," Rue said.

As if to confirm his words, Angela said, "They approach." She stepped out of the way.

The reason why she moved became clear as Tenma bounded up. He stopped in front of the group, examining them, and then went to the side to let his companions up.

"Two for two! We're winners!" Miles exclaimed when they emerged.

"Larka!" Brandi ran up to her friend and embraced her. "Larka, are you all right?"

"Yes, what about you?" Larka asked anxiously.

"Nothing I couldn't handle," Brandi assured, letting go of her. She was not quite satisfied with Larka's answer, seeing as Larka still seemed to be keeping a grip on Zack akin to a magnet on a refrigerator, but she let it slide.

"So we're all here," Max stated. "Now what?"

"I think this would be a good time to talk about what we are facing," Will said, slipping a bookmark into his novel and shutting it.

"Yeah. Let's sit down," Draken suggested, doing so. "This might take a while."

Everyone else got into a rough circle, except for Tenma and Kazel, who remained outside of it. Angela also did not; she continued to stand by the path.

"Angela, why not join us? We might need to ask you something," Larka said.

"As you wish." Angela went next to her but continued to stand.

"Um… you can sit down," Larka offered, feeling a bit awkward for having to suggest it. Angela obeyed her without comment.

"That proves one of the points I wanted to bring up," Will said when he saw that they were all seated. "Angela takes things literally. We have to be careful with how we phrase things around her. Without the freedom of thought, she might interpret her commands differently than we intend, which could lead to disaster."

"Yikes," Rue said with a shudder. "It's kinda disturbing, having this power available to us."

"No kidding," Miles grumbled. "You weren't the one who got seized by her!"

"I must concur," Gen said dryly.

"Now, our enemeis." Will looked at Hope, Max, and Zack. "I assume there were some duels with the ones you met?"

"I fought Obsidian," Max confirmed.

"Yes, I was against Crucio," Zack answered.

"How did they operate?" Will asked.

"Obsidian was brutal," Max said in disgust. "He used emotions to his advantage, but overall, he was a coward."

"Crucio… he knew the human mind well," Zack replied. "And how to use it to his advantage. I would call him intelligent… except that he made some truly foolish errors."

"Duel wise?" Will continued.

"Decent," Max said with a shrug. "Nothing worse than what I've faced before."

"He was all right, but I would say the circumstances of the duel were in his favor," Zack stated.

"Okay, keep that in mind," Will said. "Now look at Lunacy. He used words, and intentionally or not, they could throw off any opponent he has. Do you see what I am getting at?"

"All of the Judges play off emotions," Kazel concluded. "Except Heinskitz."

"Heinskitz doesn't count," Rue said, his eye twitching.

"What was wrong with Heinskitz?" Hope asked.

"I'm not even going to get started," Rue told her. "Let's just say he died after I beat him in a duel, and there was much rejoicing."

"Either way, Kazel hit the point I was circling around," Will said. "This is not a random group of psychos like some of us might call the Generals of Hell or Commanders of Heaven…"

"Draken can testify for that," Rue joked.

"Oh yeah, I'm really psychotic," Draken sighed. "Watch out kids, I might come after you with a butcher knife."

"Ahhh! He admitted it!" Rue and Miles chorused as they instantly leapt away and hid behind Kazel.

"I am not a meat shield!" Kazel said in annoyance, slapping them back towards the circle with her tail.

"If I may continue…" Will waited for them to settle before saying, "They know our weaknesses and will play off them. Their goal was to capture our friends to make us surrender. If we are split up like that again, it may be the end for us."

"Who are they, anyway?" Draken wondered. "We don't even know what they call themselves."

"Seiryu-that's their leader-spoke to us before we were captured," Brandi said. "He said they were the Judges."

"Judges… did they say why they were called that?" Gaston asked.

"Yes. Something about passing judgment on others," Mana shrugged. "They've been after Teknisk Wereld for a while, or so he claimed. Someone hired them."

"And they knew about Angela," Larka added. "Seiryu called her the Guardian."

"That all but confirms their involvement with the deletion," Gen said.

"The point is, we have to be careful," Will stated. "We should plan out our next move before actually doing it."

"How about tomorrow? It is getting late," Hope suggested.

"The Judges probably know that we are here," Darche agreed. "We should not take any chances by remaining here."

"All right. We can meet tomorrow morning to discuss what to do next," Will decided. "Any particular place?"

"The hotel?" Miles offered. "Not like anyone will be in there."

"That will do. Let's meet at nine Eastern time." Will stood. "Anything else we need to do?"

"What about Angela?" Larka said worriedly, looking at her.

"I will go to the meeting locale and wait for your return," Angela stated.

"But you might get attacked!" Larka exclaimed. "There has to be another way!"

"I am also capable of leaving Teknisk Wereld in appropriate situations," Angela said. "If you wish for me to, I shall."

"You can? Where would you appear?" Larka asked.

"In the same location as the person I hold on to," Angela replied.

"Well then…" Larka glanced at Zack. "Is it all right if she stays with us?"

"Of course," Zack answered.

"Then that takes care of that. See you guys later." Miles vanished with Gen.

"Goodbye," Kisara said softly before leaving as well. Kazel, Draken, and Darche followed.

"Hm… never did meet up with Claire," Rue commented. "She probably logged out when Keith made that announcement. Let's go, Ruecian." Then they were gone.

"Amy must have left too," Hope thought out loud.

"Chasity's probably going to throw a fit when she learns about this, huh?" Brandi commented to Max.

"Most likely," Max answered. "At least she will have more time for homework."

Brandi laughed at that. "Yeah, unfortunately for her. Until tomorrow!" She and Mana left.

"Time to feed the owls!" Neo said happily before vanishing. Will sighed and reluctantly followed.

Larka held out her arm to Angela, who placed her hands on Larka's Duel Disk. "See you tomorrow." Larka, Zack, Angela, and Malon disappeared.

"And then there were four," Gaston said. "Ready to go, Hope?"

"Yes." She smiled at Max. "Goodbye."

"Right…" Max nodded, looking a bit absent-minded.

"Is something wrong?" Hope asked, concerned.

"Huh? No, nothing. Just thinking about what's happened," Max assured.

"If you say so…" Hope and Gaston left after that.

Max and Tenma were the only ones left. Tenma waited for a moment to make sure they were alone before he said to Max, "Master, why did you not tell the Mistress that you are dying?"

Despite how abrupt this question was, Max gave a calm answer. "It isn't fair to concern her over my well-being, especially after today." He put his hand on his Duel Disk. "This will be my death sentence… at least I got to see her again."

Before he could log out, a burst of white light suddenly appeared in front of him. A scroll dropped into his hand.

"Scroll of Illusions?" Max quickly looked around the area, but nobody was there. Curious as to who could have activated it, he unrolled the parchment and read the short message.

_Meet me in the Coliseum now._

"It might be a trap, Master," Tenma said after Max read him the sole sentence.

"Maybe. But I still want to check it out. Not like I have much to lose at this point anyway." He rolled the scroll up again, causing it to vanish. "Let's walk there."

…

When Larka opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Angela standing over her.

"It worked?" Larka inferred as she sat up.

"There were no problems," Angela stated.

"Good to hear," Zack said as he came over to them and Malon leapt into Larka's arms. He glanced around the living room before saying, "We have a guest room you could stay in, Angela."

"I have no need for sleep," Angela responded.

"Oh. In that case… is there anything you could do to relax?" Zack asked.

"I have no need for relaxation," Angela said.

"Um… you could act as a guard for intruders, I suppose," Larka offered.

"Very well, I shall act as a guard." Angela walked away to presumably learn what the layout was.

"Well, I tried," Larka said.

"It should keep her preoccupied for the night," Zack replied. "At least we won't have to worry while resting."

"Yeah…" Larka rubbed her eyes wearily as Malon yawned.

"It's been a long day," Zack said as he led Larka to their room. She merely nodded in reply.

Zack had been without a home when the group had first split up. Luckily for him, Matt had been willing to help. By talking with the condo landlords (who he was good friends with), Matt had managed to provide a place for Zack to live in the same condo that he, Lilian, and the Drigers lived in. Zack had spent the rest of the three years preparing it for when Larka returned, since he had not needed much for himself.

Nevertheless, neither of them had many accessories. Their bedroom contained a nightstand, dresser, and bed; that was about it. It was not a big concern to them though. They did not frequently remain at home anyway.

Malon leapt onto the bed and curled up at the foot of it while the other two leaned against the headboard, not bothering with the covers. "So we're meeting at nine… we should get up at about eight then…" Zack hit a button on his wrist. "There."

"Good night then…" Larka murmured, closing her eyes and slumping against him.

A bit concerned that she would wake up stiff from sleeping like that, Zack took her into his arms in a more comfortable position. Another reason was that Larka had once told him that she preferred to be as close by as possible, due to nightmares that occurred when alone. He was not sure just what those were like, but her expression had been enough to convince him that she feared them.

Since both Larka and Malon were asleep, Zack was about to shut himself off when he heard the door softly open. He looked up to see Angela enter and close it.

"Is something wrong?" Zack asked quietly.

Noticing his change of voice, Angela kept hers low as well. "No. It would be easier to act as a guard if I am in the same room."

Zack understood what she meant. "Ah. Feel free to stay then."

They were silent as Zack considered what to say next. Then he asked, "Angela, do you have any emotional attachment to the Creator?"

"No. He made me, that is all," Angela replied.

"Have you ever met him?" Zack continued.

"No."

Zack gazed at Larka, who had a small smile in her restful sleep. "What about Larka? Do you feel anything for her?"

"My orders are to keep the substitute safe," Angela recited. "I do not feel anything for her otherwise."

"…I see. Well then… good night," he said.

"Good night," Angela echoed. Her tone caused those two human words to sound utterly devoid of the meaning behind them. Yet Zack thought it interesting that she had even said them. Was it to respond to him, or act more human to put others at ease?

Either way, he would not get his answer tonight. Zack pressed another button and was instantly out.

…

It was night by the time Max and Tenma arrived at the Coliseum. Max opened the doors and led the way to the ring.

Once they walked into the ring, they instantly caught sight of a woman and a Soul Monster. The Soul Monster was a humanoid, but his blue skin and claw-like, purple fingernails gave away any guise he might have hoped for. He wore a dark-blue robe of sorts with cream-colored pants and tight purple shoes. A round hat that matched his robe was on his head, and a white talisman with a red symbol covered his face. A thin, black, strand of hair went to his waist, and that was about all Max could see.

"You were the one to call me here, weren't you?" Max queried.

The woman nodded. "Yes. My name is Ouka."

"Are you one of the Judges?" Max demanded.

"Yes," Ouka answered. "But I am calling you here for reasons of my own. As you can see, none of my fellow members are here."

She spoke the truth. Tenma sniffed the air but could pick up no other immediate scents from any that might have been hiding.

"What are your reasons?" Max asked.

"I merely wish to know who is stronger." Ouka held up her Duel Disk. "Let us duel. If you win, you go free. If not, I take you."

"So, you're trying to cut me apart from the group." Max turned on his own. "Fine, I'll accept. Better than being dragged off without a fight."

Max: 8000

Ouka: 8000

"Since I challenged you, you may go first," Ouka offered.

"All right, I will. I summon Element Devil (1500/1200) and lay a card down," Max said.

"I'll begin by summoning Giant Rat. (1400/1450) I place a card and end my turn," Ouka stated.

"Time to begin attacking," Max decided. "I summon Goblin Elite Force." (2200/1500)

"In response to your summoning, I activate my trap card, Sticky Pit Trap." The Goblins went falling into the pit and emerged slowly, covered with slime. "That cuts your monster's attack in half." (1100/1500)

"Fine. I attack your Giant Rat with Element Devil," Max said.

As the Element Devil went to claw the Giant Rat apart, Max was surprised to see it lash out viciously at the Element Devil. It managed to get in a few scratches before fading.

"That was my Deck Master ability at work," Ouka said. "My Soul Monster is Master Kyonshi, Kyonshi for short. He cuts battle damage against a monster in half, and we each take the damage. So instead of me losing 100 Life Points, we each lose 50."

"Fine," Max said, seeming unfazed. "Goblin Elite Force attacks you directly."

"Hold on. My Giant Rat lets me special summon an Earth Main-Type in attack mode from my deck when he is destroyed in battle," Ouka told him.

"Normally, yes," Max agreed. "However, when there is an Earth Main-Type on my field, Element Devil negates the effects of monsters he destroys."

"Ah. Then I cannot stop you," Ouka said as the Goblins attacked.

Max: 7950

Ouka: 6850

"Now it is my turn," Ouka stated. "I summon Monk Fighter. (1300/1000) Then I equip him with Giant Growth. If I have lower Life Points than you, his attack is doubled. If mine are higher, his attack is split in half. The benefits go to me in this case. (2600/1000) I also equip my Monk Fighter with Mist Body. He attacks your Element Devil, and that is all."

One swift punch tore through Max's monster. He watched the Element Devil fade away.

Max: 7050

Ouka: 6850

"I can still destroy your Monk Fighter," Max said. "I sacrifice Goblin Elite Force for Great Demon Gaazetto! (0/0) His attack is twice the base attack of the sacrificed monster, so your Sticky Pit Trap did not hamper him. (4400/0) He attacks Monk Fighter!"

The Gaazetto slashed forward, but the Monk Fighter turned into mist, causing the attack to swipe through harmlessly.

"Mist Body prevents my monster from being destroyed," Ouka explained. "Normally I would take battle damage, but Monk Fighter reduces it to zero. Done?"

"…Yes," Max said reluctantly.

"Now to dispose of your Gaazetto," Ouka said. "I play a magic card, Godhand Smash. Any Monk Fighters, Master Monks, or Hand-to-Hand Rat Chuusukes I have out destroy any monster they battle. Monk Fighter attacks Gaazetto."

The Monk Fighter punched a hole through the Gaazetto, causing it to vanish with a roar.

"Your turn," Ouka concluded.

Max knew that he was not going to get very far with the Monk Fighter on the field, so he said, "I play Enemy Controller, switching your Monk Fighter to defense. Then I activate Shield Crush, to destroy a monster in defense mode. Your Monk Fighter dies. I summon Demon Soldier (1900/1500) and attack directly! That is it."

One slash was inflicted on Ouka, but she did not seem to mind the blow.

Max: 7050

Ouka: 4950

"Not bad. I lay a monster in defense mode and end my turn," Ouka said.

"I summon Newt (1900/400) and attack your monster with him," Max stated.

"You attacked a Giant Rat. I get my final one," Ouka decided.

"Fine, Demon Soldier kills that one." Max watched the Giant Rat get in a few scratches and bites before being slashed apart.

Max: 6800

Ouka: 4700

"I special summon another Monk Fighter," Ouka said. "My turn?"

"Yes, go ahead." Max was in the lead, yet he had an uneasy feeling about this. Ouka was acting far too calm for his liking.

…

Hope sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the wall opposite of her as she clenched her fist, opened it, closed it again, and continued to do that.

"Something wrong?" Gaston asked as he seated himself next to her.

"Yeah. I'm restless," Hope admitted. "We finally saw everyone again, after so long. Yet…"

"Yet?" Gaston pressed.

"It's like nothing has changed," Hope said. "We are adults now, Gaston, we grew up. Despite that, we still act like we used to."

"Is that bad?" Gaston inquired.

"No… I am happy, actually. Rue was right; distance strengthened our friendship, rather than weakening it," Hope said thoughtfully. Then she looked downwards. "But… I wanted to live with them in peace. Again, we are fighting for peoples' lives, for our lives, and for each other… just as before. It is as if that has not changed either."

"You don't like that, I take it," Gaston assumed.

"I don't know," Hope confessed. "I feel like I was exposed to real life at an age that would often be considered too young. I adapted… somehow. But from that year… and all of the joy we experienced, the losses we suffered, the agony that we endured together… perhaps I was an adult in all but physical standards."

Gaston slowly nodded. "…Maybe so… maybe they all were as well. Rue, Max, Will, and Kisara were linked to you, but you still changed their lives. And everyone else's. I do not think of that as bad either. Do you?"

"…Well… we would have had to face life eventually anyway." Hope managed to smile. "At least, this way, we were able to do it together."

"Good way to put it." Gaston gazed at her curiously. "You still seem anxious."

"After being gone from Teknisk Wereld for so long… I want to see it again," Hope admitted.

"How about we go in for a few minutes? I know the Judges are a concern, but even they have to rest," Gaston stated.

"Yeah," Hope agreed. "All right, let's go. How about to the Coliseum? We never got to see the rest of it."

"Indeed. That seems to be the only new area in Teknisk Wereld, so why not?" Gaston said.

Hope pulled out her Duel Disk and Envoyant Machine in response. "Let's get going then."

…

As Ouka drew, she said, "Tell me something, Max. What is it that makes you strong?"

Max was taken a bit off guard by the question, but he replied, "I wish to protect the people I care about. That gives me my strength."

"Hm… same as what was said before." Ouka thought for a moment, and then said, "Monk cards are what my deck is mainly based on. And I can now bring out my strongest one. I sacrifice Monk Fighter to special summon Master Monk! (1900/1000) He can only be brought out as a special summon, and only by sacrificing Monk Fighter. Then I summon Hand-to-Hand Rat Chuusuke." (1200/0)

"Neither of them are strong enough to defeat my monsters," Max stated.

"That is why I am going to play a field magic card, Gaia Power," Ouka continued. "It raises all Earth Main-Types' attack by 500 and lowers their defense by 400. (2400/600) (1700/0) Master Monk attacks Demon Soldier. His effect lets him attack twice per battle, so he also attacks Newt."

"Newt's effect causes him to lose 500 attack points," Max said as the Master Monk defeated both of his monsters in a flurry of blows. (1900/600)

"That is fine," Ouka said. "Chuusuke attacks directly, and that ends my turn."

The Chuusuke dealt a hard blow to Max, causing him to stagger back.

Max: 4100

Ouka: 4700

Once Max regained his footing, he drew. "I set a monster and end my turn."

"Master Monk attacks it," Ouka said.

"My Twilight Zone Trainer," Max announced. (100/2000)

Max: 4100

Ouka: 4600

"Very well. I lay one card down," Ouka finished.

"I summon my second Newt and play Shrink on Master Monk!" Max declared. "That cuts his attack in half! (950/600) Newt attacks him!"

"How ironic," Ouka commented. "I activate my own Shrink, which I laid down last turn. Your Newt's attack also decreases." (950/400)

The two monsters fought for a moment, punching and clawing at each other, and then simultaneously vanished. Max looked at the one card he had in his hand and said, "I am done."

"I can still win easily enough without my Master Monk," Ouka told him. "I summon Karate Man. (1500/600) Then I activate his effect. His base attack doubles, and in exchange, he dies at the end of my turn. (2500/600) He destroys Twilight Zone Trainer. Then Chuusuke attacks you directly."

The second blow was just as punishing as the first. Max had to struggle to regain his posture.

Max: 2400

Ouka: 4600

"You may go," Ouka offered as her Karate Man vanished.

"I summon Deathcalibur Knight (1900/1800) and attack Chuusuke," Max said, having little better to do.

Max: 2300

Ouka: 4500

Ouka placed a monster on her field. "Easy enough to handle. I summon Master Kyonshi (2250/0) and destroy Deathcalibur Knight."

Max: 1950

Ouka: 4500

Max looked at the card he drew tensely, and then sighed in submission. "All I can do is lay a monster down…"

"Then it is over. I bring forth my Deck Master, Kyonshi. (2250/0) My monster attacks yours."

"Dweller of Darkness Shadowkiller…" (1400/200)

"And Kyonshi finishes it." Her Soul Monster brought forth a curved sword and sliced into Max.

Max: 0

Ouka: 4500

Max fell to his knees, weakened from the blows. "Damn it…"

"You know the conditions," Ouka said as she turned off her Duel Disk.

"Yeah…" Max held out his Soul Card. Tenma returned to it without complaint. After Max put it back, he waited as Ouka walked over to him.

Her punch came without warning. The solid blow to his stomach instantly caused him to drop, unconscious.

"Forgive me," Ouka murmured as she took off his Duel Disk. She inserted a magic card into her own, causing another Scroll of Illusions to appear in her hand. Once it was attached to Max's Duel Disk, she set the Duel Disk in the center of the ring. Ouka hoisted Max's body over her shoulder without much effort. Without a word, she left, Kyonshi following her.

…

It was not until Brandi had exited the shower and was putting on her clothes that she began to wonder where Mana had gone. She figured that Hime had to know, which was why she was not immensely concerned. Still, she wanted to know where her Soul Monster had gone.

"Hm… Matt and Lilian are out working anyway," Brandi mused. "Maybe I can find someone at home that would like to come with me to get dinner." The day after the banning had occurred, Brandi had moved in with Matt and Lilian. This had not been much of a problem, seeing as they lived practically next door.

Brandi knocked when she reached her destination, but nobody answered. She tried again with the same result. Puzzled, she brought out her house key and let herself in.

"Hello?" Brandi called. No response came to her. "This is bizarre… where is everyone?"

When she reached the living room, she was surprised to see Max was lying there with his Envoyant Machine on. But what horrified her was his condition. He looked pale and sickly, so pale and sickly that Brandi thought it might be to the point of dying.

"Max!" Brandi exclaimed. "What happened to you?" But of course, he could not answer that question.

"I have to talk to him right away!" Brandi ran back to Matt's place, grabbed her Duel Disk and Envoyant Machine, and ran back. She lay down in the living room and went to Teknisk Wereld at once.

…

"This is pretty impressive," Gaston commented as they emerged into the ring. "I can see why it's popular."

"Yeah…" Hope's reply trailed off as she looked at the center of the ring. "What is that?"

Gaston eyed the object with interest. "A Duel Disk?"

"But why would it be here?" Hope went over and picked it up. "Hey… there's a scroll attached to it."

"What does it say?" Gaston asked as he joined her.

Hope handed Gaston the Duel Disk and unrolled it, reading. Her eyes widened at the message.

"_I know who is reading this. Come to the place where you achieved your first victory if you wish to save your loved one."_

To be continued…


	10. Rescue

I personally like the Monk deck. It's a fun one. And writing roll? Me? Nah. –Looks around, and then slowly slinks away after leaving chapter up-

**Chapter Ten: Rescue**

Brandi arrived in the forest with no idea of where to go next. Mana popped up a second later and instantly began to whine. "Brandi, I'm stuck! I've been in some weird area and it's so boring and there's nothing to do and…" She trailed off as she saw Brandi's expression. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"It's Max. He looks like he's dying." Brandi shook her head. "I haven't seen him in real life for some time… I've been too busy. But now that I have…"

"Can you think of anything that might be making him ill?" Mana asked.

"Well… all I can think of is when Max was dying from losing Olympion… Max said Hope saved him then, with a soul transfer of sorts," Brandi recalled.

"Hope gave up part of her soul?" Mana inquired.

"Yeah, remember what I told you earlier, about Tenma? That's what I'm referring to," Brandi said.

Mana snapped her fingers. "Oh! Then all we need is Hope! Just have her heal Max again! She may not have to give up her soul again, but maybe having her nearby would… renew their link, or something."

"It's better than nothing," Brandi replied. "Let's find her then. Can you teleport?"

"Sorry, but after healing you, I lost my ability to do so for some time," Mana lamented.

Brandi sighed. "Oh well. Let's search on foot then, to find Max. Hope is probably gone already, but maybe she stayed in like he did. We have to at least try to find them."

…

"_They know our weaknesses and will play off them. Their goal was to capture our friends to make us surrender. If we are split up like that again, it may be the end for us."_

Will's words echoed in Hope's head as she stared at the scroll in disbelief.

Gaston gazed at her in concern. "Hope? What does it say?"

Hope read the message out loud. "I know who is reading this. Come to the place where you achieved your first victory if you wish to save your loved one."

"Then that means…" Gaston drew a card from the deck in the Duel Disk and winced before showing her it.

"Soul Line…" Hope said softly, recognizing the card she had given him at once. "Whoever did this has Max…"

Gaston slid the card back in. "And that person knew of your love for him."

That disturbed Hope in more ways than one. Their enemy had much knowledge on them, for one thing. But another factor that made Hope despise this person was that he or she was prying into matters that they had no right to use. Now she knew how Zack had felt when Larka had been captured.

Hope let go of one end of the scroll, which caused it to snap back into place and vanish. "My first victory. That was against Zenith. I remember where we dueled. Let's go there."

"Yeah. We've got to help Max," Gaston agreed. He shifted the Duel Disk to his left arm and kept his right hand near his sword.

"If this is like what we feared from the Judges… then we have to deal with it quickly," Hope said as they left. "Or we'll be split away from the group too."

Gaston did not have to respond. His expression told Hope that he knew she was right.

Their trip to the cave did not take long. Hope paused outside of it, recalling the last time she had been there. Back then, she had been hopelessly lost. She still felt off balance, but not as much as she had back then. Not with friends for support.

Gaston noticed her hesitation. "Ready?"

"As much as I'll ever be," Hope answered. They went in.

The cave was lit by a few torches, which gave enough light to see despite the flickering shadows produced. The cave was devoid of anything else except for the three people located at the back of it. One was a woman, which Hope assumed was the Judge. Then there was her Soul Monster, who stood beside her calmly. The third was the only one she recognized. He was unconscious and chained to the wall from what Hope recognized as the card Curse of Darkness.

"Max!" Hope exclaimed, unable to stay silent after seeing him.

Her voice brought Max out of his knocked out state. He blinked a few times, and then stared at Hope in amazement. "Hope? What are you doing here?"

"Saving you! Why else would I be here?" Hope faced the woman. "Let him go!"

"He lost in a duel to me," she replied. "Therefore, I have full right to keep him."

"Then why call me out here? Who are you?" Hope demanded.

"A Judge, as you probably assumed. Ouka. And I left that note to request a duel from you," Ouka said. "A duel to the death."

"If that's what it takes to save Max, I will!" Hope turned on her Duel Disk.

"Then I believe no more words need to be said." Ouka copied her.

Max was silent as he watched them prepare. _Hope… you shouldn't have come. The result will be the same. Either way… I will die._

Hope: 8000

Ouka: 8000

"I'm going to go first!" Hope told Ouka.

"That is fine. I was the one to challenge you, after all. And Max did lose," Ouka said.

Hope ignored the comments. "I summon Blade Knight (1600/1000) and end my turn!"

"Your emotions are blinding you," Ouka commented.

"That was actually the best I could do for this turn," Hope stated.

Ouka shrugged. "Whatever you say. I summon Hand-to-Hand Rat Chuusuke. (1200/0) Then I play Shrink on your Blade Knight. This cuts his attack in half. (800/1000) Chuusuke destroys Blade Knight."

A few quick blows shattered the weakened Blade Knight's armor easily.

Hope: 7600

Ouka: 8000

"I lay one card down and end my turn," Ouka said.

"That won't stop me!" Hope retorted. "I summon The Magnificent Infiltrator!" (1300/1200)

"I will activate a trap, Sticky Pit Trap, in response to your summoning," Ouka stated.

"Sorry, but you can't," Hope informed her. "When Magnificent Infiltrator is summoned successfully, you are not allowed to activate trap cards."

"Ah. All right." Ouka flipped her card back down. "Going to attack?"

"Yes! Magnificent Infiltrator destroys Chuusuke!" Hope said.

The Chuusuke sped forward and grabbed one of the Magnificent Infiltrator's arms. He used his other hand to bring up a pistol and shoot the Chuusuke through the head, destroying him instantly.

"My Deck Master, Kyonshi, has just used his ability," Ouka explained when she saw Hope's confused look. "Damage you inflict to me is cut in half, and we each suffer from that amount."

Hope: 7550

Ouka: 7950

"We had best be careful, Hope. That is not an ability to be taken lightly," Gaston warned her.

"Yeah… I'm done," Hope said to Ouka.

"I summon Monk Fighter (1300/1000) and lay a card down," Ouka stated. "Go ahead."

Hope placed a monster on her Duel Disk. "I'll take him down by summoning Twilight Zone Female Warrior!" (1500/1600)

"Now I activate Sticky Pit Trap," Ouka said. (750/1600)

"Then I'll end my turn," Hope decided.

"I lay one card down and activate The Lone Martial Artist. This permanent trap can only be used when I have a sole Hand-to-Hand Chuusuke, Monk Fighter, or Master Monk out. It prevents that monster from being effected by monster effects," Ouka explained. "Monk Fighter attacks Twilight Zone Female Warrior."

Hope regretfully watched her monster get punched to death. She had been hoping to use her effect to remove Monk Fighter, but that seemed to be out of the question now.

Hope: 7000

Ouka: 7950

Hope glanced at Gaston, who shook his head. "I pass," Hope said uneasily.

Ouka thought for a moment. "I summon Karate Man." (1000/1000)

This caused a surprising reaction from Hope. She instantly glared at the new monster. "ARGH! THAT KARATE MAN IS GOING DOWN! HATE KARATE MAN SO MUCH!"

Ouka blinked a few times. "Um…"

"She pulled five Karate Men in a row from Magic Ruler boosters," Gaston told Ouka. "That is why she… doesn't like them much."

"…Ah. Anyway. Monk Fighter attacks your Magnificent Infiltrator," Ouka continued.

"But that's suicide!" Hope protested as her monster shot his pistol. The Monk Fighter amazingly punched the bullet off course, causing it to go flying away. Then he punched the Magnificent Infiltrator until he faded away.

"Not with Lone Martial Artist," Ouka told her. "It makes it impossible for my monster to die in battle. Karate Man attacks you directly."

Hope braced herself for the punch and managed to stand her ground.

Hope: 6000

Ouka: 7950

"I lay one card down and end my turn," Ouka concluded.

Hope was determined to destroy the Karate Man at least. However, she was also mindful of Ouka's face-down cards, especially since Ouka seemed to like reducing her monsters' attack. "I summon Goblin Strike Team." (2300/0)

Sure enough, Ouka was ready. "In response, I activate Shrink." (1150/0)

"Another?" Gaston said.

"It's all right, I wanted her to waste it," Hope assured. "I play a magic card, Hammer Shoot. It destroys the monster on the field with the highest attack. Your Monk Fighter is the victim. Then I attack your Karate Man with Goblin Strike Team!"

Although her Goblins were weakened and she took damage from it, Hope was satisfied to see the Karate Man be beaten to death.

Hope: 5925

Ouka: 7875

"That was not wise," Ouka said. "I summon Master Kyonshi (1750/0) and activate my trap card, Meteor Rain. Now you will take damage from being attacked while in defense mode. Master Kyonshi destroys your Goblins."

The Kyonshi sliced right through Hope's Goblins like paper. It was so effortless that he cut into Hope with the same movement.

Hope: 4175

Ouka: 7875

Despite what had just happened, Hope said, "I lay a monster in defense mode and end my turn."

"I summon Giant Rat. (1400/1450) Kyonshi attacks your defense monster," Ouka stated.

"You hit my Command Knight. (1200/1900) She increases all of my Warrior Sub-Types' attacks by 400," Hope said. (1600/1900)

Hope: 4175

Ouka: 7725

"I assume it's my turn now," Hope continued. "I summon Retrained Elven Swordsman. (1800/1200) He attacks your Kyonshi."

The two monsters had a brief sword duel that had Retrained Elven Swordsman emerging as the victor.

Hope: 4150

Ouka: 7700

Although Hope was much lower on Life Points than Ouka, she seemed to be handling the duel well. Ouka was aware of this too. "I shift Giant Rat to defense and lay a card down. That is all."

"I place a monster face-down and attack Giant Rat with Retrained Elven Swordsman!" Hope said.

"When destroyed in battle, Giant Rat allows me to special summon an Earth Main-Type from my deck with 1500 attack or less," Ouka informed her. "I bring out another Monk Fighter."

Hope shrugged helplessly. "Fine. I can't do anything else."

"You have played well until this point," Ouka said as she drew. "Considering the heavy damage you have taken, you made it pretty far. But now I have a monster to end it. I sacrifice my Monk Fighter to special summon Master Monk." (1900/1000)

Max recognized the monster as the most deadly one he had faced. His thoughts about his own fate were diminished for a moment to be replaced by concern for Hope.

"Why do you call him that strong?" Hope asked.

"It is his effect, which you shall witness in a minute. I play a magic card first, Godhand Smash. Any Hand-to-Hand Rat Chuusukes, Monk Fighters, or Master Monks on my field destroy any monster they fight," Ouka explained. "My Master Monk can also attack twice. He attacks Retrained Elven Swordsman and then Command Knight."

Hope watched in awe as the Master Monk delivered two solid punches, tearing a hole through each of his victims.

Hope: 4050

Ouka: 7700

"It is your turn," Ouka prompted when Hope did not react at first.

"Right…" Hope glanced at her hand before looking at Ouka again. "If the duel is about to be over… then let me at least ask this. Why do you want Max?"

Ouka considered the question, and then answered, "I had a childhood friend who was also my rival. We always fought and dueled each other… until she died." For the first time, Ouka's controlled appearance cracked. Her eyes glistened for a brief moment, and then she was collected again. "It was the Black Snake Sickness that killed her."

"So you have an agenda against Teknisk Wereld…" Gaston realized.

Hope was unsatisfied by the explanation. "That doesn't explain how Max factors in."

"Ever since I lost her, I have felt incomplete," Ouka said. "I need someone strong to fight. Max fits that criteria."

The truth being told only made things worse. Hope flared up at once. "That's it? You want to replace your friend with someone else? It's like you're betraying her! And you're using Max to do that! You disgust me!"

Ouka's calm façade vanished briefly as she looked doubtful. Then she had the same smooth expression as before. "Take your turn."

"You know what? I will. Maybe that will knock some sense into you," Hope spat. "I lay a monster in defense mode. Go."

"I equip my Master Monk with The Legendary Black Belt," Ouka said. "When he destroys monsters in battle now, you take Life Point damage equal to the destroyed monster's defense. He attacks your new set."

"Surprising Matasa…" (1300/800)

"And then he attacks your second one."

The Master Monk tore through this one too. "My Female Warrior of the Wilderness. (1100/1200) When destroyed in battle, I am allowed to special summon an Earth Main-Type Warrior Sub-Type monster with 1500 attack or less. I choose Initiate Troops." (1000/1000)

Hope: 2050

Ouka: 7700

"It is your turn," Ouka finished.

"I activate my Initiate Troop's effect," Hope said. "By sacrificing them, your Master Monk is destroyed!"

"Not so. I activate another Lone Martial Artist," Ouka replied. "So your effect does nothing to him."

Hope seemed unfazed by the counter. "That doesn't matter. I summon Goblin Strike Team. (2300/0) Since I can't destroy your Master Monk in battle now… I'll go around him! I activate Gaston's Deck Master ability!"

"All right! I finally get to help!" Gaston commented as he tossed his sword to the leader of the Goblins.

"By paying 1000 Life Points, my monster attacks directly!" Hope said.

The Goblins swarmed past the Master Monk and struck Ouka. She stumbled back but recovered swiftly.

Hope: 1050

Ouka: 5400

"My Life Points may be low… but that is my best chance of winning!" Hope declared as she shifted her Goblins to defense mode. "I lay two cards down and end my turn."

Ouka was aware that Hope probably had a way to stop her attack, but she tried anyway. "Master Monk attacks your Goblins."

"I counter with Magic Cylinder! That negates your attack and deals 1900 damage," Hope said.

Hope: 1050

Ouka: 3500

"Master Monk attacks again, this time to destroy the Goblins," Ouka stated. This time he was successful in punching the Goblins to death. "That is all."

"Yeah, it is," Hope agreed. "Because now I win. I activate Cry of the Living Dead to special summon Surprising Matasa! Then I equip him with The Fused Weapon, Murasame Blade! This raises his attack by 800! (2100/800) I pay 1000 Life Points for Gaston's ability!"

Matasa caught Gaston's sword and zipped forward, appearing in front of Ouka without a sound. Two swift slashes ended the duel.

Hope: 50

Ouka: 0

…

Brandi paused a short distance from the cave, listening. "Those sounds…"

"A duel!" Mana said excitedly. "That was a sword slash!"

"Quick, let's find them!" Brandi exclaimed, running towards the noises.

…

"So… you have won," Ouka said as Gaston's sword went back to his hand.

"Yes," Hope confirmed.

Ouka strode forward until she was in front of Hope. "Then carry out my sentence."

Hope gave her a confused look. "What?"

"This was a duel to the death," Ouka reminded her. "That means you must kill me."

Hope stepped back, horrified at what she was saying. "N-no… I can't do that…" Despite hating her for what she had done to Max, Hope did not want to be the one to kill her.

Ouka was not going to tolerate her hesitation though. "If you do not, I will kill Max. I am sure you would hate that alternative even more."

"B-but…" Hope trailed off, knowing that Ouka had her there.

"Take your Soul Monster's sword and pierce me through the heart," Ouka stated. "Do it now. If you wait too long, I will carry through with my threat."

Hope was silent for a long moment, and then she held out her hand to the side. "Gaston…"

"…Right…" Gaston gave her his sword.

"Yes… this is how it should be," Ouka whispered, closing her eyes with a small smile. "Hope… Max cannot fight for himself. Take care of him."

Hope tried to respond, but found it impossible to speak. Without a word, she forced herself to thrust forward with the sword. It went through Ouka with startling easiness. Her smile did not fade as she fell back, her corpse hitting the floor with a soft thud.

Mortified by what she had done, the sword dropped from Hope's limp grip. A line of blood flew through the air as it clanged on the ground near Ouka's corpse. Hope soon followed it, landing on her knees nearby the shining metal. "I… I just…"

"…You had to," Gaston said softly, trying to reassure her. He could see that she was still shocked though, so he took it upon himself to take the Curse of Darkness card from Ouka and tear it apart. The chains vanished at once, leaving Max to slowly walk to them.

"Max…" Hope said, looking away, ashamed at her actions.

"…There is nothing that can be done now…" Max took his Duel Disk from Gaston. "Hope… I am grateful for your actions, but… I am sorry… it was all in vain… Goodbye…" He brought up his Duel Disk's menu and vanished before Hope could react.

"Wow. That was abrupt," Gaston said as he lifted his sword and wiped it twice across Ouka's chest, cleaning away the blood. "Why did he leave so suddenly?"

Hope had no answer for that. She had thought that Max would at least try to comfort her somehow, but instead he had fled. Had her actions disgusted him? Or had he simply not known what to say?

Her thoughts were dispelled when Brandi suddenly came running into the room and halted, looking around wildly as Mana entered after her. "Max! Where is he?"

Gaston sheathed his sword before facing her. "He just left."

That caused Brandi to panic. "No! I was too late!"

"Brandi… what do you mean?" Hope asked, rising. The distress in Brandi's voice had pushed aside her concerns about Ouka's death temporarily.

"Max… Max is dying!" Brandi cried.

This sent a jolt through Hope. "What? He's dying?"

Seeing that Brandi was in too much of a fright to speak clearly, Mana said, "Brandi hadn't seen Max recently. Today was the first day in a while. But he looked very ill… Brandi thinks he's about to die."

"That can't be… there has to be a way to save him!" Hope protested. After seven years of waiting, that unbearable amount of time, she could not stand the thought of losing the one she loved already. Not like this.

"I think there might be!" Mana said encouragingly. "Hope, you have to come to South Carolina. That soul transfer… I think Max needs you to be there. Maybe having you around will help him heal…"

Before she could say anything else, Hope had logged out. Mana blinked. "Well, that was quick. But that's good. The faster the better."

"I had best join her," Gaston said. "Until we arrive, keep Max alive."

"Right," Mana agreed.

Once Gaston vanished, she said to Brandi, "Come on. We have to do our part."

"…Y-yes…" Brandi managed to say. They left as well.

…

Gaston arrived back in the real world to find that Hope had flung her Envoyant Machine and Duel Disk into her backpack. She tossed in a couple of other random items that were lying around in her room before zipping it shut and flinging it over her back. "We have to hurry! No time to pack!"

"I concur. To make things faster, I'm going into the Soul Card for a while," Gaston said. "Good luck, Hope."

"Thanks." She waited a second for Gaston to enter the Soul Card, and then she bolted out of the door.

She ran down to where her car was parked. It was very old, which was probably why Hope's mother had not minded giving it to her permanently. She threw herself into the front seat and barely spared herself enough time to buckle up before turning on the car. She sped through the parking lot at a speed that would have made a cheetah on steroids jealous and went flying onto the road.

…

Brandi sat up and tore the Envoyant Machine off herself, tossing it to the side as she did. She went next to Max and found him laying there, his eyes barely open.

"Max! Please, hold on!" Brandi begged as she detached his Envoyant Machine too. "Hope's coming. Just hold on until she's here! Please!"

Max's eyes opened a bit more, but not much. "Hope…?"

"She can save you! So hang in there!" Brandi pleaded.

"I'll… try…" Max mumbled.

Before Brandi could say anything else, she heard the door open. Hime entered the living room a moment later and halted, surprised. "Brandi? What-"

"It's Max! I'm trying to keep him alive!" Brandi said desperately. "Hime, Hope's coming. She's the only one who can save him."

"Oh no…" Hime said softly. "Two incidents in one day…"

"What do you mean?" Brandi asked.

Hime looked at the ground as she spoke. "Chasity… I noticed, when she was in Teknisk Wereld, that she had stopped breathing. I called an ambulance and they still have her at the hospital. She is… in a coma."

Brandi stared at her in disbelief. "That can't be…"

"What I don't understand is why," Hime said sadly. "If only we knew, maybe we could bring her around…"

"…I think I know why, and I can tell you later, but… I have to keep watch over Max now," Brandi said.

"Very well. I will return to Abby-she is at the hospital," Hime decided. "So is Randall." She turned to leave.

"Wait! Before you go, can you retrieve Mana?" Brandi requested. "She is alive now."

Hime started. "What? She is?"

"Just returned today," Brandi confirmed.

After all that had happened, it was remarkable to see that Hime was able to smile. "That is excellent! I will go right away."

"Thanks," Brandi said as Hime walked away. Then she turned her attention back to keeping Max awake.

…

"I need a ticket to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and I need one now! I have to get there as soon as possible!"

Hope had made it to the airport in record time, probably breaking every speed limit in existence in the process. That was quite remarkable, seeing as she usually drove far too slow for other drivers' likings. But with things the way they were, she thought she had the liberty to use this as her first speeding, and hopefully her last.

"Well, this flight is not booked, and will be leaving in ten minutes, but making it there will be hard…" the woman behind the counter began.

"That's fine! I'll take it!" Hope said.

The woman skeptically handed her the ticket after she was done paying. "Better hurry."

"Believe me, I will!" She ran for it.

…

Mana jumped in surprise when Hime suddenly appeared. "Hime!"

"Mana. It's great to see that you're alive," Hime greeted with a smile.

Mana glared at her. "What's the big idea, leaving me in such a stark place? It's so boring!"

"It is better than burying you, no?" Hime said.

That shut Mana up promptly.

"Anyway, we had best leave." Hime offered her hand, which Mana took. "Brandi is waiting."

…

Hope looked out of the window she sat next to impatiently. This was the infuriating part. There was nothing she could do to make the plane go faster, so she was forced to wait as it went at its oh-so-slow pace.

She did count herself fortunate to make it though. They had been just about to close the door when she ran in. It had taken a lot of time for her breathing to return to its normal rate, but it had, and now she had nothing to do but wait.

And as usual, waiting hurt.

…

"Here she is," Hime said to Brandi as they entered the room.

"Brandi!" Mana embraced her, which Brandi briefly returned. Despite the graveness of the situation, they were both happy to see each other in real life again.

"Now I will return to the hospital," Hime said. "One of us will call you later, all right?"

"Yeah, thanks…" Brandi watched her leave before turning back to Max. To her horror, she saw that his eyes were even closer to closing. "Max! You can't give up!"

"If he falls asleep… he will probably die…" Mana said grimly.

"Max! Come on, stay with us! Max!" Brandi said.

"…I am… trying…" Max muttered.

…

"Please, can we go any faster?" Hope begged the taxi driver.

"For the love of God, I'm already breaking the speed limit by twenty! How much faster do you want me to go?" he exclaimed.

Hope had been fortunate enough to flag down a taxi shortly after she left the airport, but it still seemed as though she would not get there in time. Fidgeting nervously, Hope brought out her Soul Card and summoned Gaston.

"ARGH! WHY DO MY CUSTOMERS NEVER READ THE SIGN?" the taxi driver shouted.

"Sign?" Hope looked at the back of the seat closely for the first time. It said, _Please_ _do not summon Soul Monsters, for it can break concentration, which can be fatal._

"Oops. Sorry." Hope looked away sheepishly as the taxi driver sighed impatiently.

"…I think I'll ask later," Gaston said, blinking a few times.

…

Brandi was deeply worried by Max's condition now. Each moment seemed to sap more of his life force, push him closer to the brink of death, and she was the only thing holding him back from falling. She could keep it up a while longer. But what if Hope had been delayed? Max would not stay alive for much longer…

As if to confirm her worst fears, Max's eyes shut.

"Max! Please, open your eyes! Max!" Brandi said, shaking his shoulder. He did not respond.

A sudden crash came from the front of the house, and Hope ran into the living room. Apparently, Hime had forgotten to lock the front door. "Max!"

"…It's too late…" Brandi moaned, sliding back. "Max is… Max is…"

"No… he can't die!" Hope knelt beside him and put a hand to his heart. She felt nothing. "Max!"

"Oh no…" Gaston said as he saw what was happening. "We tried, but…"

"If only it were like a fairy tale and a kiss would wake up the sleeping loved one," Mana sighed.

Hope heard Mana's comment. She hesitated, and then kissed Max without warning.

"Oh my God, I can't believe you did that," Mana said, slapping herself over the forehead.

Hope broke away after a moment, and shook her head. "I didn't really expect it to work… but… I wanted to at least… say goodbye…"

But Brandi had noticed something. Afterwards, Max's skin did not seem quite as pale, nor his body as frail…

"…No need…" To their amazement, Max's eyes opened again. "I won't be leaving any time soon."

"Max?" Hope said, hardly daring to believe her eyes.

"Yep…" He sat up. "Looks like… you made it in time…"

"Max!" Hope threw her arms around him, which he gladly returned. "I'm so relieved…"

"I'm sorry," Max said quietly. "I should have told you about this earlier, so I wouldn't cause this many problems…"

"You're alive, that's all that matters," Hope said.

"And I'm sorry for not helping you after what happened with Ouka," Max said. "Your hand was forced… you should not blame yourself for her death. It's just like when you fought other enemies who set the death condition… even though you had to do the final blow, it was because of their actions that you did. So don't worry over it."

"…All right…" Hope said, closing her eyes to keep her unshed tears at bay.

"Thank everything," Brandi whispered.

"Sis… thanks for keeping me here," Max said to her.

"I am just happy that I could help," Brandi answered as she stood. "I'll… leave you two be…" She went towards her parents' room, being too tired to go back to Matt's place. Mana winked at Hope and Max before following.

"Don't let me get in the way either," Gaston said. He went to a corner and sat in it, his eyes closed.

Hope and Max were content to stay where they were. After such panic, Hope was grateful for the moments of silence, where she could simply relax in the arms of the one she loved.

…

"Too much has happened in one day…" Brandi said as she lay down in bed. "We can check on Chasity tomorrow morning…"

"That would be good," Mana agreed. "You get some rest. I'm sure Romeo and Juliet can take care of themselves. Seriously, that's who they are, except they haven't died yet. At this rate, who knows when that'll happen."

Brandi smiled slightly before closing her eyes. She was soon asleep.

Mana quietly got up and began to examine Brandi. She wanted to make sure that her healing had been completely successful. After the strange sensation she had gotten, she was unsure if it had been.

A quick examination of her upper body showed no wounds. But when Mana ran her hand over Brandi's stomach, she stopped, frowning.

_She's rounder than before… but she would never let that happen. Brandi is very conscious of her weight._ Then it clicked. _Brandi! You already… are going to… good gosh, what have I missed?_

Not knowing what to think of this new development, Mana got onto the other side of Brandi's bed. There was little she could do but possibly ask later. Although her mind was filled with questions, she quickly fell asleep as well.

To be continued…


	11. Victims

I kind of slowed down after doing five chapters in a row, but my writing roll stands. Two weeks of school left now!

**Chapter Eleven: Victims**

Mana was brought out of her sleep by the phone on the nightstand ringing. She rubbed her eyes a few times and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Mana? This is Hime. I'm sorry if I woke you up, but it is seven. I thought it was early enough to tell you of Chasity."

Brandi stirred as Mana answered. "Ah, right. How is she?"

"No better, no worse. You had best come and see for yourselves, all of you," Hime said. "As for her room number…" She read it off, along with directions on the general area of it.

"Got it. We'll be there soon." Mana hung up.

"Who was that?" Brandi asked, sitting up.

"Hime. She wants us to go see Chasity," Mana explained.

"All right. Give me a few minutes to get ready," Brandi requested as she got out of bed.

…

Hope had a much more uncomfortable awakening. She managed to turn her head enough to see that Max was on top of her, essentially crushing her. For a moment, she was confused as to how this happened. Then she remembered that they had decided on sleeping on the fold-out bed from the couch, as they had when Hope had stayed over last time.

"Max… wake… up…" Hope gasped out.

"Huh?" Max blinked, and then realized where he was. "Oh… sorry." He got off Hope, much to her relief.

"It's fine… I just hope that doesn't happen again anytime soon," Hope said, also rising.

"You two looked pretty comfortable," Gaston commented from where he was sitting.

Hope gave him a look of annoyance. "Thanks for that unwanted comment."

"You're welcome." Gaston went to the kitchen with Max following him.

Hope was about to go as well, but Mana entered the living room first. Seeing her, Hope said, "Good morning."

"Same to you," Mana replied. "Where are the other two?"

"In there." Hope nodded to the kitchen.

"I'll go make breakfast then," Mana decided, heading to it.

"Wait… can I ask something?" Hope requested.

Mana turned to her expectantly. "Sure, what is it?"

"How did I save Max yesterday?" Hope asked. "I did not really understand why he was ill or how I reversed it…"

"That I only have a theory for," Mana said. "But I think it was due to how long you and Max have been separated. You gave him part of your soul to keep him alive, and then stayed away from him for seven years. That probably weakened the bond a ton. I guess the kiss strengthened it again, keeping him from dying."

"If it had been one more day before I was allowed into Teknisk Wereld…" Hope trailed off, unable to bring herself to finish the sentence.

"Yeah. Good thing it wasn't! Just stick near by him for now, and it shouldn't happen again." Mana smiled at her brightly before entering the kitchen.

Hope thought over that as she went to the hall Mana had come from. She was wondering if Brandi was still asleep.

On the contrary, when she approached the door to the room, she heard a moan from inside. Concerned about the noise, Hope opened the door and went inside.

Brandi looked up in surprise from her position on the floor. Her arms were stretched forward in a sit and reach position. "Is something wrong?"

"Oh, no… I just heard you and thought…" Hope shook her head sheepishly, and then asked, "Why are you nearly breaking your bones by stretching? That looks painful."

"It's to make sure my muscles don't get stressed again," Brandi explained as she got up and sat on the side of the bed. "When in gymnastics, I was pushing myself too hard. Due to that, I started having accidents. First I fell off the bars, then off the beam, and then stumbled on the floor… it didn't get serious until I fell on my back instead of landing on the vault though. That was when I had to go to a rehab facility. Lilian looked after me to help me move again, and she taught me stretches to keep it from happening again."

"Ouch," Hope winced. "Glad to hear you recovered."

"Yeah." Brandi turned to the bed and drew up the covers. Hope noticed that both ends were down, as though two people had gotten out of the bed.

"Mana slept with you?" she assumed.

Brandi nodded. "I really missed her… very deeply… I couldn't even hear about the card Black Magician Girl, as you saw when Rue played her…" She paused. "Did I tell you that I had moved in with Matt and Lilian?"

"No," Hope answered.

"I did… couldn't take the memories that were here. That, and I wanted to be with Matt." Brandi placed the pillows back in order and turned back to Hope. "Thanks for talking with me. It's nice to know that I'll have you as my future sister-in-law."

"Sister-in-law?" Hope exclaimed. "Did I hear you correctly?"

"Yep, you did." Brandi laughed at Hope's confused expression. "Let me show you something."

"All right…" Hope said, still a bit shocked.

Brandi went to the closet and took out her mother's dress, laying it on the made bed. Then she put her right foot on the covers as well. "I noticed you didn't put your hairclip in yet today. Could I see it?"

"Sure." Hope gave her the hairclip.

"Thanks." Brandi set it on the other side of the dress. "See these? That dress was what Dad gave Mom. Matt gave me this ankle bracelet. And now Max has given you a really expensive hairclip. It's a Driger tradition. The males always get a really expensive gift for the one they want to eventually marry."

"Brandi, are you… up…" Max pushed open the door and trailed off as he saw them. "Oh. Hi. So you were explaining to her about that?"

This was too much for Hope. She blushed deeply as Max looked around uncomfortably. Yet she felt deeply honored by what she had heard, so she managed to smile. "Yeah… she was…"

"Awkward moment much," Brandi commented as she took the dress to hang up again. "Is Mana making breakfast?"

"Yeah. Come out when you're ready." Max left the room, still seeming a bit embarrassed at what had happened.

Hope took back her hairclip. To get her mind off the incident, she said, "I was in such a hurry to get here that I did not have enough time to pack much. I have some clothes, but I'll need to borrow some things, like a brush…"

"That's fine, we've got spares in the restroom. You'll find them in the top drawer to the right," Brandi said.

"Thanks. I'll be out shortly." Hope went to get changed and the like.

Ten minutes later, they were all seated at the kitchen table with waffles, which Mana had so graciously prepared. Thankfully, she had not blown up anything while making them.

"I guess being out of it for seven years made me a better cook… although that doesn't make much sense…" Mana mused as she watched them eat. "Hm. I wonder what eating food is like?"

"That's something we will probably never know," Gaston said with a shrug.

"So we will be going to Teknisk Wereld at nine," Hope recalled between bites. "Is there anything else we will be doing beforehand?"

"Visiting the hospital," Brandi said.

"What? Why?" Gaston asked.

Brandi realized that she had not told them of what had happened. "Oh… Hime told me this last night, but I did not have a good opportunity to share it until now. It's Chasity…" Brandi looked away. "She is… in a coma."

Max's hand came down on the table, causing a crash that echoed in the kitchen. "No!"

"How?" Hope managed to say.

"I don't know the details… we have to see Hime at the hospital," Brandi said. "Mom and Dad are there too. I'll call Matt."

"…Fine." Max got up and walked to the living room.

"He could have at least put away his plate," Mana sighed as she collected it, along with everyone else's dishes.

"Max is taking this really hard," Gaston noted.

"I was afraid he would," Brandi said regretfully. "Chasity was one of the only things that got him through those seven years. He really cares about her."

"I see…" Hope glanced towards the phone. "We leave after you contact Matt?"

"That's right." Brandi went to the phone and dialed.

"Hello?" she heard Matt say.

"Matt, this is Brandi. Something bad happened. Chasity is currently in a coma."

"What? How did that happen?" Matt exclaimed.

"We're not sure. Could you come to the hospital? Not only do we need to see Chasity, but… well… there's a few other things I want to talk about."

"Of course. I noticed you never came home last night."

"I can explain that there," Brandi assured.

"All right. What's the room number?"

Brandi glanced toward her Soul Monster. "Mana? What is the room number?"

"333!" Mana called, which Brandi repeated into the phone.

An audible groan came from across the phone line. "Typical…"

"See you there," Brandi said before hanging up.

Max entered the room again. "We ready?"

"Yep. I'll drive!" Brandi volunteered.

"Sure," Hope said. Then she noticed Max's expression. "Is something wrong?"

Max looked sickened, but he shook his head. "Um… no… go ahead, Brandi…"

"Let's go!" Brandi said, running to the door. They followed her out.

After Gaston and Mana went into their Soul Cards, Hope and Max got into the back seat of the car. Brandi went to the driver's seat and locked all of the doors. Max hurriedly put on his seatbelt and grabbed onto his seat. Hope also put hers on, wondering about Max's strange behavior.

His reason became apparent as soon as Brandi backed out of the driveway. She bolted forward, driving at a speed that spat in the face of any speeding limit that could have existed here. Hope instantly took a leaf out of Max's book and grabbed onto her own seat.

"Oh, forgot to mention, I like to drive a bit fast!" Brandi called back as she turned a corner sharply, causing the tires to squeal in protest.

"A bit?" Hope whispered to Max.

"A bit. She is being slow today," Max informed her, a little pale.

"Oh gosh," Hope said, her skin color matching his.

How they got to the hospital without dying was beyond Hope's knowledge. Nevertheless, they made it in one piece. Brandi braked in a parking spot so quickly that they would have flown through the windshield if they did not have seatbelts on. She turned off the car and smiled back at them. "Well, that was pretty fast, wasn't it?"

"No kidding," Hope groaned as she took off her seatbelt and bolted outside, mentally thanking all that was holy for making it here alive. Max also exited, his face betraying his relief.

After bringing out Gaston and Mana, they went into the hospital and to the third floor. When they reached the Room 333, Hope knocked.

"Come in," they heard Abby call.

Hope opened the door and entered, with everyone else behind her. Randall and Abby were sitting on two chairs in the room while Hime occupied the third one. GaBa lay on the floor, both mouths muzzled and with a leash that looped around their necks; it seemed that Randall did not trust them in the hospital.

Chasity lay on the bed, still. Hope was alarmed to see that she was depending on a respirator to breathe. Chasity was pale, very much so, and looked vividly fragile.

"You arrived," Abby said, trying to smile. But it wavered. Hope felt a pang of pity for her. She could not imagine how hard it must be for Abby to have to deal with all of the near-death experiences her children went through.

At least she seemed to be coping with it. Hope told herself that as she looked over Abby. Her appearance had changed over the past years. She now wore an orange sleeveless shirt, long white skirt, and black high-heeled shoes. Her blonde hair fell to her back now, and her green eyes reflected her worry.

"Matt will be here soon," Brandi said as she went to the side of the bed.

Hope looked to Randall. "I am pleased to finally meet you."

"Ah, yes… you were unable to see me the last time you were there." Randall ran a hand through his hair. "Hope, I was grateful for what you did for me. Now that you can hear me, I must thank you once more."

"I was happy to help," Hope replied, taking in Randall's new appearance. He had on a black long-sleeved shirt and khaki pants, along with black dress shoes. His white hair was cut short, and his brown eyes held their usual weary look.

"So this is your Soul Monster, the one that Max warned us about?" Gaston asked, looking at GaBa. They growled in response, unable to speak.

"You can talk to them later… after we are out of the hospital," Randall said dryly.

Before Hope could ask about why they should wait, she heard someone come in through the doorway. She turned and stared in surprise. "You… you're…"

"Ender," he confirmed.

Hope had almost not dared to believe it. Although Ender now wore a red t-shirt, blue jeans, and casual white shoes, and his brown hair went to his shoulders in a ponytail, his hard green eyes had given him away in an instant. Hope had thought he would be completely crippled after what she had heard seven years ago. Ender was in a wheelchair though, so it appeared that he was only affected from the waist and lower.

"Is something wrong?" Ender asked as she stared.

"Oh, um, sorry," Hope apologized. "I was just startled. All of the things that were said about your condition… well…"

"It could have been a lot worse," Ender stated as he went next to Abby with little difficulty. "This may not even be permanent."

"We have heard of a surgery that might be able to heal him completely," Abby explained. "But we need to look more into it before we can be sure. That is why I wish to speak with Lilian before we leave. She said she would get some information for us and tell us what she thought the next time we came."

"Good luck with that," Hope said, feeling genuinely sorry for him. She did not think he deserved this, even after what he had done to Olympion.

"Thanks." Ender turned his gaze back to Chasity.

"Can we hear what happened to her now?" Brandi asked Hime.

"I really do not know," Hime answered. "She was in Teknisk Wereld when it happened. I had come into the room and I saw that she was not breathing, so I called an ambulance. I tried to give her CPR, but it did not work. Yet when I checked her pulse, it was there. Lilian confirmed that she is in a coma."

"But how did this happen?" Mana wondered.

At that moment, the cell phone in Hope's pocket suddenly rang to a tune that sounded remarkably like the Final Fantasy victory theme. Blushing as everyone glanced at her pocket pointedly, she took out the cell phone and turned it on. "Hello?"

"Hope. It's your father."

"Dad! How are you?" Hope asked. Normally she loved hearing from her father. However, his voice was making her nervous. He sounded remarkably grave.

"Not well, and here is why. Amy is in a coma."

The words hit Hope like a lightning bolt. "W-what?"

"She is in a hospital currently. They still do not know why. I felt that you should know," he said.

"…Oh… I see… thank you for… telling me…" Hope said, her vision blurring.

"I will tell you of any updates," she heard him say, his voice laced with sorrow.

"Thank you… until later…" Hope pressed the end button on her phone, and then said to them, "Amy is in a coma too."

"No way!" Mana exclaimed.

"So now we have two… she was probably in Teknisk Wereld as well…" Hime mused.

Gaston put a comforting hand on Hope's shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll find a way to help them."

Hope nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

To their exasperation, the victory theme rang through the room again. Thinking of how bitterly ironic that ring tone was right now, Hope answered it again. "Hello?"

"Hope! What the hell is going on?" she heard Rue yell from the other end.

Hope held the phone away from her ear. "Ow! Rue?"

"Of course! It's Claire! She's in a coma!" Rue shouted. "I want to know why the hell she is like this, and I want to know now!"

"Rue! Calm down!" Hope yelled back through the phone. "I'll tell you what I know, but only if you get a grip on yourself!"

There was a moment of silence, and then she heard Rue say in a quieter tone, "Sorry. It's just… I found her like this when I got home last night, and by the time I thought to call, it was midnight… Ruecian had me wait until morning. I just woke up."

"I understand," Hope said. "Chasity and Amy are like this too. We don't know why yet, and we're trying to find out. Let's talk about it in Teknisk Wereld, all right?"

"Fine," Rue said reluctantly. "See you there." The phone went dead.

"Claire too," Hope told them, feeling her heart sink even lower.

"This is crazy!" Max exclaimed.

Brandi looked at Chasity again, her hands clasped anxiously. "Isn't there anything we can do to figure out what happened?"

They were silent in thought for a minute, and then Hope's eyes brightened. "I've got it! Angela!"

"Angela?" Abby asked.

"Right." Hope gave a quick summary for their benefit. "I think that if Teknisk Wereld caused this, Angela could probably tell us why and how to cure them."

"Great! So call her!" Mana said, happy that they had a lead at last. "Brandi knows their number by heart!"

Hope lifted her cell phone for a third time and punched in the number as Brandi relayed it.

…

Angela had stood in the room all night, patiently waiting for it to be eight AM. Her mind told her that there was still fifteen minutes to go.

That was when the phone rang. Angela instantly tensed, and then began to speak. "Unidentified sound heard. Will investigate source." She went to the door and quietly opened it before sneaking towards the kitchen.

She found the phone there, ringing on its hook. Angela tilted her head as she gazed at it. "Scanning… analysis complete. Object confirmed to be a telephone. No threat found. Safe to examine." Then she picked it up.

The ringing stopped at once, and she heard Hope's voice faintly coming from it. "Hello? Zack? Larka?"

Angela lifted the phone to her ear. "Speaker confirmed to be Hope. What is it that you wish for?"

There was a pause, and then Hope said, "Angela? Is that you? I can't hear you very well…"

"You are speaking at a lower tone than normal," Angela reported. "The efficiency of this conversation has gone down by 43.59 percent due to this."

"I can't hear you! Speak up!" Hope shouted through the phone.

"Raising voice tone by 50.00 percent. Is this enough?" Angela said in a louder tone than before.

"No! I still can't hear you much!" Then Hope said, "Angela… try turning the phone! I think you aren't talking into the speaker!"

Angela turned it. "Is this what you mean?"

"OW! Lower your voice!" Hope exclaimed.

"Returning voice tone to normal. What is it that you wish for?" Angela asked.

"Ouch… just… get the phone to Zack or Larka, please," Hope said.

"Affirmative. Will arrive at their locale in approximately seven seconds." Angela went back towards their room.

When she arrived, she found that Zack and Larka were up, both looking confused.

"Angela? What is wrong?" Larka inquired. "I heard your voice from in here…"

"Our conversation was delayed for one minute and three seconds by difficulties with using this device." Angela handed Larka the phone. "Hope wishes to speak with you or Zack."

"Oh… thanks…" Larka watched Angela head to the door and stand in front of it before saying, "Hope?"

"Thank everything you're here," Hope replied, sounding exhausted. "That was painful…"

"Sorry, Zack and I were asleep. What is it?" Larka asked as Zack listened with interest.

"We need you and Zack to come to the hospital near the condo. It's important that you bring Angela." Then she said, "Wait… I forgot, you probably do not live near here…"

"Actually, we live in the same condo that Max and Brandi do," Larka said brightly.

"WHAT?" Hope yelped.

Larka laughed at her reaction. "That's right. We'll be there soon. See you then." She hung up. "Zack, we need to go to the hospital with Angela. Hope thinks it is important."

"Very well. Let us go," Zack said. "Angela, will you accompany us?"

"If that is what you wish," Angela replied.

"Let's try to keep away from other people; Angela kind of stands out," Larka suggested, glancing at Angela's purple hair.

"Good idea. Angela, please do not speak to strangers unless we say it is all right first," Zack requested.

"Affirmative." Angela went outside with Zack and Larka going after her.

…

Hope hung up with a sigh of relief. "That was the most painful phone call I've ever made."

"It was painful for us too," Ender said flatly. "We had to hear you yelling."

"I can't believe Angela picked up the phone," Gaston commented.

"I can, unfortunately." Hope slipped away her cell phone and leaned against the wall. "Now we have to wait for them…"

A soft knock silenced them. Brandi opened the door since she was near it, and promptly leapt forward and embraced the arrival fiercely.

"Geez! You could have… warned me…" Matt gasped out

"Sorry!" Brandi said, loosening her grip a bit.

Matt looked far more formal than Hope could remember. He wore a white dress shirt with a tie, a thin black vest over it, and had black dress pants and fancy brown shoes. His brown hair had been cut short, and his brown eyes were not concealed by glasses any more.

"Going to a party?" Gaston joked as Brandi finally released him.

"To work, actually. Directly from here," Matt replied. "But I wanted to see what was happening myself."

He went to Chasity and shook his head. "Terrible…"

"Yeah…" Brandi seemed nervous. "Hey, Matt… could we… um… talk elsewhere?"

"Huh? Sure. Where?" Matt asked.

"Another room… also, I'd like my parents to come." Brandi looked at them for confirmation.

"All right," Abby agreed while Randall nodded. They stood up to follow.

"We'll be back soon," Brandi said to the others before they went outside, closing the door.

Brandi led them five rooms down and shut the door as they entered. Once they were inside, Abby said, "What is wrong?"

When asked, Brandi got flustered. She looked away, saying, "Well… I… I… I wanted to… tell you something…"

"Yes?" Randall asked calmly. "Go ahead. We are listening."

That was precisely the problem. Nevertheless, Brandi knew she had to tell them. "Well… I'm… pregnant."

Randall did not react at all, merely gazing at her, while Matt covered his face. It was Abby who had the largest response. "BRANDI! YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!" she yelled with an expression of fury.

"…I am," Brandi said, closing her eyes.

Abby stepped closer to her, rage coming in waves from her body. "YOU MADE A PROMISE! YOU PROMISED YOU WOULD BE ABSTINENT!"

"We were drunk!" Brandi said. Then she paused, guilt showing on her face. "…No… that isn't right… Matt was, so he did not even know this had happened until now… but I… I knew what I was doing. I… I took advantage of the situation…"

"WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO BE, SOME KIND OF WHORE?" Abby snapped.

That was all Brandi could take. Her eyes glimmering with unshed tears, Brandi ran to the door and flung it open, going down the hall. Randall quickly followed her, looking concerned.

Matt swiftly shut the door again as Abby confronted him. "What were you thinking? I thought you cared about her… and I thought you were a friend of mine! Never would I have thought that you would do something like this…"

By this point, Matt had had enough. "Abby, excuse me for being frank, but… shut up." He was standing next to a table, so he took out a black, velvet ring box from his pocket and slammed it onto the surface. "I've had this ring for a year now. Yet each time I try to propose, I get scared… each and every time… so don't give me this. I care about her, and I plan on asking her. Today, as a matter of fact."

Abby was silent, staring at him for a long moment. Then she sighed. "I've been an idiot… I was afraid for Brandi. Afraid that she would be disowned like I was. When I was pregnant for the first time… Randall and I had not been married, so… I was disowned by my parents. I did not want Brandi to go through the same thing…"

"But you aren't like your parents," Matt said.

"No, I am not… I care for Brandi, in a way my parents never did for me…" Abby lowered her head. "I can't face Brandi like this… Matt, will you tell her that I am sorry?"

"Sure. I'm going now." Matt put the ring box back into his pocket. "We'll see you shortly." He went out, leaving Abby to collect herself.

He found Brandi and Randall three more rooms down. Brandi was sobbing softly while Randall held her, whispering soothing words.

"Randall, could we have a few moments alone?" Matt requested as he came in.

Randall slowly let go of Brandi. "Of course. Return soon." He exited the room, closing the door to give them privacy.

"Being a crybaby again?" Matt asked jokingly as he went up to her.

Brandi wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "I am not," she protested, giving him a small smile.

"Go ahead and deny it, doesn't change the fact that you are." Matt thought over what to say, and then told her, "Abby did not mean what she said. She told me to apologize for her. You see, her parents disowned her for getting pregnant before marrying. So she was worried about you."

"Oh… that explains," Brandi said softly.

Matt looked uncomfortable at this. "I… owe you an apology, too. This… never should have happened."

"What do you mean?" Brandi asked.

"I should have asked you this a year ago…" Before Matt could lose his nerve, he pulled out the ring box and kneeled in front of her, flipping it open to reveal a silver ring with a single diamond that was shaped like a dolphin. "Will you marry me?"

Brandi was frozen in disbelief. Then she flung herself onto him. "Yes! What did you think I would say?"

"I don't know… I guess my fears were foolish…" he said, embracing her back.

Brandi could not respond; she was crying again.

"See? You are a crybaby," Matt said.

Despite her tears, Brandi managed to laugh. "Yes… but I am your crybaby."

…

The group in Chasity's room did not have to wait long for a knock. Gaston answered it this time, letting Zack, Larka, and Angela enter.

"Thanks for coming," Hope said.

"No problem. What happened?" Larka asked.

Hope quickly summarized the comas. "None of us can figure out what caused them though. If it had something to do with Teknisk Wereld, we thought Angela might know."

"That is a possibility," Zack agreed.

Larka gestured to the hospital bed. "Angela, would you please look at Chasity and tell us what happened to her?"

"Yes." Angela went to Chasity and placed her hand on her forehead, similar to what she had done for Larka. She concentrated, and then removed it. "This has never happened before. However, there is a 95.73 percent probability that it has come from her being in the deleted area of Teknisk Wereld."

"The deleted area? You mean… she got caught in the initial deletion?" Larka asked.

"That's right! Amy said she was going to meet Claire in the plains!" Hope recalled. "I bet Chasity happened to find them there, and then…"

"That reminds me of something," Mana chimed in. "Chasity contacted me right before I woke up from my coma. She said Brandi was in danger."

"I bet that was an out of body experience," Hime said. "Chasity must have had enough strength to warn you before she went into this state."

"Is there any way to cure the victims?" Zack asked Angela.

"The most probable solution is to replace the areas deleted," Angela answered.

"And that will cause them to wake up?" Hope inferred.

"That is the most logical conclusion," Angela stated.

"Then there is a chance to save them!" Mana said enthusiastically.

"I sure hope so," Gaston replied.

Randall and Abby entered the room. Seeing everyone except Angela look at them curiously, Abby said, "Brandi will return in a moment."

"So this is Angela," Randall assumed.

"Yes. She doesn't carry casual conversations well," Mana warned.

"I have not been made for casual conversations," Angela said.

"See my point?" Mana sighed.

None of them had a chance to answer. Brandi entered the room with her hands in her pockets. "Hi everyone. Matt left to go to work."

"Okay, you're hiding something," Max stated. "You never put your hands in your pockets like that unless you are."

"Um… no I'm not…" Brandi said with shifty eyes.

Max seized her without warning. "Hope, pull out her hands."

Hope obeyed, revealing the ring on Brandi's finger. Everyone stared in silence for a moment before Mana said, "You weren't engaged to Matt until now? Well then, it's about time!"

Brandi blushed furiously as Larka smiled and said, "Congratulations!" and Hope echoed her. Max smiled but did not say anything.

"I really am happy for you," Abby said to her. Brandi nodded in response, knowing that all had been forgiven. Randall merely closed his eyes with a smile similar to Max's.

Once everyone was done with their compliments, Zack said, "As much as I hate to break this up, we have to get to Teknisk Wereld by nine. It would be wise to head back soon."

"True," Hope admitted. "All right, let's leave."

Before they could exit the room, the door abruptly opened, and Lilian entered. Upon seeing them, she stopped short, looking started. "Wow, talk about a full house."

"It's been a long time," Hope said to Lilian.

"Yeah, it has been. Hi to all of you." Lilian went to Chasity and examined her. "Hm… no change in conditions. We still don't know what to do…"

"We think we might have an idea," Brandi said.

"If you do, then go for it. Nothing we're doing helps." Lilian turned back to Abby, Randall, and Ender. "Ah, you also wanted to know about that surgery, right?"

"Please," Abby answered.

"I contacted a doctor I know, and he says he's willing to do it," Lilian said.

"Really? How good is he?" Abby asked.

Lilian laughed. "Let me just say this: I was taught by him. He was my mentor when I was in medical school. His name is Salus Casius, and he is an incredible doctor. If anyone can do this surgery, it's him."

"Does he live here?" Randall inquired.

"No, he's in Atlanta," Lilian said. "You would have to travel down there."

Abby put a hand to her chin and was silent in thought.

"Think it over, and if you have any other questions, ask me. If you decide to go through with it, I will have to contact him." Lilian winked mischievously. "Maybe I can convince him to even give you a discount since I'm a former student."

Abby smiled with mirth at that. "Money is not the problem at all. Thank you for looking into it; we will be sure to consider this."

"No problem. See you all later." She left to check on other patients.

"Time for us to depart too. We'll do all that we can," Hope assured.

"We know you will," Hime said.

"And we will be sure to support you," Abby added.

"Be careful," Randall said.

"As always," Gaston replied.

When they went outside, Zack said, "Let us meet in Teknisk Wereld itself when we get back."

"Right. See you there," Hope answered.

"By the way, where is Malon?" Mana inquired.

"We left him at home," Larka explained. "Thought he would cause too much commotion."

"Ah, that explains." Then they parted ways.

Unfortunately for Hope and Max, Brandi chose to drive again. They endured another wild car ride and jumped out gratefully when they arrived at the condo. Then they went inside to collect their Duel Disks and Envoyant Machines.

"We still have about fifteen minutes before we have to meet up with everyone," Brandi pointed out as they got ready to go.

"In that case… can we do something before they arrive?" Hope requested.

"Sure, what is it?" Brandi asked.

"Well… I wanted to… bury Ouka," Hope said, looking away.

"I think that would be for the best," Gaston agreed, speaking gently.

"…Yes… let's do that," Max said. "So we'll meet at the cave."

"Got it," Brandi replied.

…

They arrived in front of their destination and went inside at once. Ouka's corpse still laid there, her chest coated with blood. But her eyes were closed and her mouth was curved in a smile, as though she were happy.

"Maybe some of the Judges are not as bad as we thought…" Hope said as she took out a magic card called Enthusiastic Undertaker. A black coffin appeared when she inserted it into her Duel Disk.

"Others are though," Gaston said. He lifted Ouka's body and put it into the coffin, and then picked up the lid and sealed it. "Even if there are a few decent ones, we cannot afford to pick out the good and bad ones. We have to assume that they all mean us harm."

"Yeah… Ouka would have still killed us," Hope said with a nod.

She brought out a Pit Trap and used it, causing the coffin to fall down the hole. Feeling a pang of sorrow, Hope whispered, "Goodbye…" Then she took out the card, causing the pit to seal with dirt.

"That's that," Gaston said. "Shall we go meet the others?"

"Yes," Max stated. "To the hotel."

To be continued…


	12. Assassin

This was a fun chapter to write. Not quite sure why. It just was.

**Chapter Twelve: Assassin**

Although the burial had taken them out of their way, they were still the first ones to arrive at the hotel. They took seats around the lobby and waited for everyone else.

Zack, Larka, Angela, and Malon soon appeared. When they entered, Larka commented, "It feels really creepy, being here with nobody else."

"Everyone else must be afraid to come due to the deletions," Zack stated.

"I don't blame them," Mana said with a shiver. Malon barked in agreement.

Rue and Ruecian arrived next, the former still enraged. "Hope, I want an explanation, NOW."

"And you'll get one, once everyone else is here," Hope assured.

"Then they'd better come damn quick…" Rue began.

"This quick enough for you?" Draken asked as he entered with Darche and Kisara.

"It looks like we only need Will and Miles," Darche noted.

Kisara went to the back of the room and brought out her Soul Card. It was a tight fit for Kazel, but she folded her wings and lay down so she could fit in the room. Max released Tenma as well, on the other side of the room.

"Just Miles, actually," they heard Will say when he came in. Neo trailed after him. "He has three minutes to arrive."

"Surprise," Miles said as he popped up from behind the counter at the front.

Nearly everyone jumped in shock, but Rue got over being startled quickly. "Damn it! How long have you been there?"

"Before any of you," Miles told him, leaping over the counter. Gen followed, shaking his head in exasperation.

"You've gotten good at hiding your presence," Zack commented.

"Thanks. Took a lot of work," Miles answered as he flung himself onto a couch. "So, shall we get down to it?"

"Let me tell about what we have learned," Hope began. "Chasity, Amy, and Claire are all in a coma."

"Whoa! Are you kidding?" Neo said.

"Unfortunately, no," Gaston answered. "Angela thinks they were caught in the deletion."

"Damn it! I should have figured that out!" Rue snarled.

"Is there any way to help them?" Gen inquired.

"Yes. Angela said that if we restore the deleted area, they would wake up," Larka said.

"That means we have to defeat all of the Judges first," Draken realized.

Rue clenched his hands into fists. "Fine by me!"

"We should also find out who hired them," Will said.

"I agree," Kazel spoke up. "That might take care of many of our problems."

Brandi thought of a question. "Angela, could you restore the area that was deleted?"

"No," Angela responded. "Not without recovering the data. That is impossible until the one who deleted the areas is found."

"But when we do, if we could recover that data, like from the computer used to cause this… you could?" Darche said.

"Yes," Angela confirmed.

"Great! So how should we go about doing that?" Mana asked.

"Let's start with the Judges," Max suggested. "At least we know that they are a problem."

"'Know thy enemy'," Will quoted. "We need to get more information on them."

"Hey, I can do that!" Miles volunteered.

They all stared at him while Hope summed up what they were thinking. "You?"

"Of course! I'm a spy for the officials, remember? This is the kind of stuff I get paid for!" Miles said.

"Well, that is true…" Draken glanced at Gen. "Is he as good as he claims to be?"

"I would say so," Gen answered. "He may not act like it, but he does have the skills for it. Miles also has contacts that might have knowledge on them."

"There's a contact that I have in mind that could probably get me the knowledge we want," Miles confirmed. "However… it would require me meeting him alone."

"That is risky, considering what the Judges are trying to do," Zack pointed out.

"Yeah! They've already captured three of us!" Mana concurred.

"Three?" Neo said. "Who was the third?"

"A Judge named Ouka took Max," Gaston explained. "Hope managed to save him though."

"All the more evidence that you shouldn't go alone," Draken stated.

"I see your concerns, but my contact won't meet me unless I'm alone," Miles said. "Well, Gen's the exception. But yeah."

There was a silence as they all considered this, and then an unexpected person broke it. "If this is the only way to find information on the Judges… I think we should trust Miles," Kisara said quietly.

"Well… we do need it…" Draken hesitated, and then sighed. "All right. I'm for it."

"If you can promise to stay out of trouble and return here as soon as possible, I guess it's all right," Brandi said.

"Anyone disagree?" Will asked.

Nobody spoke up.

"Then I'll do that right away." Miles leapt out of the chair and pulled out his cell phone. "You guys wait here. I'll be back within the hour. If I'm not, something happened."

"It really should not take too long," Gen assured as he followed Miles to the door.

"It'd better not." Despite his words, Rue looked concerned.

"Be careful," Larka said worriedly.

"Of course I'll be careful! It's part of the job!" Miles waved to them cheerfully before going out with Gen.

"The words Miles and careful do not go together," Kazel said dryly.

"It's been seven years. Maybe he learned the definition by now," Draken joked.

Neo shook his head. "There are some things that just don't change. Like Will smacking Rue with books, Miles can't just get… professional."

"Gee, thanks for the comparison," Rue grumbled.

"Oh, speaking of smacking Rue…" Brandi went up to him and slapped him across the face.

"OUCH! What was that for?" Rue yelped, holding his hand to his stinging cheek.

"Don't refer to me as 'woman' in that tone, not even in dueling," Brandi said, heading back to where she usually sat.

"Dang! I thought she'd forgotten about that duel, especially after she forfeited by running away," Rue winced.

"Brandi doesn't forget," Draken said. "Keep that in mind if you want to live longer."

"I try," Rue sighed.

…

This time, when the Judges met, there were only five.

"She failed," Kai said bluntly.

"That's right," Seiryu confirmed, his eyes narrowed. "Ouka was one of our best. Now she is dead."

"If Kasmaru hadn't said she would do fine on her own, this never would have happened!" Alamaru lamented.

"…She probably let her desires get the best of her," Kasmaru said, pointedly ignoring Alamaru.

Pariah had no comment.

"Then we are to try something else." Seiryu drummed his fingers against a wall. "First of all… how did they find out about Obsidian and Crucio?"

"When I went to the group, I noticed that one of the people mentioned was not there," Kai recalled. "The one with the White Thief."

The drumming fingers became a fist that slammed into the wall. "Miles Salum. Of all the people in the group, he was the one most likely to overhear us. That confirms it."

"He acts as a spy for the officials, doesn't he?" Kasmaru said.

"Yes. So he would have knowledge about this." Seiryu turned back to them. "I have sent Brook to confirm the group location. As for our annoying little spy… if he is into information gathering as we suspect, he would probably separate from the group to find out more about us. I believe we should make his death a bit ironic. Let us send an assassin after him."

Kasmaru looked interested at this. "The Gentleman?"

Seiryu nodded. "Quite. He would be delighted for the opportunity. Miles should provide him with the challenge he has wanted." He looked towards the door. "I suppose that is all we need to discuss at the moment. I will remain here and call the two of them. Dismissed."

"I believe this would be a good time to prepare in case we are needed later…" Kasmaru said as they left.

"Shaddup Kasmaru, I'm in charge! And I say we prepare to fight them for later!" Alamaru declared. Kasmaru's sigh was the last thing Seiryu heard before they were gone.

…

When Miles got outside, he punched in a number for speed-dial. He got a recorded message that said, "As you can see, I am not at the phone now, so if it's important, leave a message."

Miles had expected that, so once the phone beeped, he said, "King here. Up for tea?" He pushed the end button.

"I tell you, anyone who heard you would think you're nuts," Gen commented.

"Better they think I'm nuts than realize what I'm up to," Miles replied.

"True."

They walked to the edge of town, where an arcade was located. Miles entered it.

This location was chosen for a good reason; most of the time, the arcade was very loud. That would make it hard to be overheard. It was not the only place Miles met this contact at, but it was one of them. Seeing the building empty and silent sent a chill through him. It was far too unnatural.

"Guess we'll wait," Miles said, passing by the shut-down machines and leaning against a wall in the corner.

The silence was abruptly shattered a few minutes later by Miles' cell phone ringing to the Steel Samurai theme. Miles picked it up at once, saying, "Hey."

"TAY!" The phone line went dead.

"He's on his way," Miles said, slipping his phone in his pocket.

A minute later, a man holding a fiddle entered the arcade. He wore a fox-fur coat (which Miles believed had fake fur, but he was not about to say that) and had reddish hair. His black eyes were sly, and they darted around the arcade for a moment before he went to Miles. He carried his Soul Monster, a Magic Lamp.

"Thanks for coming by, Grenky," Miles said.

"Not a problem, King."

They referred to each other by nicknames because neither ever planned on giving their true names out to contacts. It was safer that way. Miles had chosen the nickname King for 'King of Thieves'. Why his contact called himself Grenky was something he would probably never know.

"I'm surprised you're still in Teknisk Wereld, considering the problems," Miles commented.

"Same to you. I'm here since others are though. So much interesting things to hear these days!" He inserted a card into his Duel Disk that caused the fiddle to float in midair and dance. Then he brought a tea cup out of his pocket, activated a trap card called D-Time, and poured tea into the cup from his Magic Lamp Soul Monster. "Up for some tay?"

"I don't have a cup," Miles said.

Grenky produced two identical ones and poured tea into both before handing them to Miles and Gen. "Now you do!"

"Great. Thanks." Miles was not very enthusiastic about tea himself, but when it came to Grenky, you did not simply say that you did not care for tea. Or tay, for that matter. He drank some of it. Even though Gen did not need food or drink, he did the same to be polite.

"So, what is it you want to know?" Grenky asked after he took a sip. "Not much has happened down below, except for that new kid."

"New kid?" Miles inquired.

"You haven't heard? A boy just showed up. He must have become thirteen very recently," Grenky said. "Despite that, he's a gambler, and he's beating everyone! The most experienced adults fall to this kid!"

"Impressive," Miles remarked. "Maybe you could tell me more about him later. Right now, I need to know about a group called the Judges."

Grenky blinked. "The Judges? Odd request. All right, let's see what I can do. What do you want to know?"

"Everything," Miles said.

"The Judges like to call themselves a group that passes judgment on others," Grenky began. "They are vigilantes who take jobs that interest them. The Judges have about sixty members, roughly speaking, and are led by a man named Seiryu, who wears a gold dragon mask. They used to work together, but that has recently changed."

"How so?" Miles asked.

"It came in a dispute about Teknisk Wereld," Grenky explained. "Some of them, including Seiryu, wanted to help delete it. Those Judges either had an agenda against it, or simply liked the opportunity for money. The other Judges did not want to have anything to do with it though. So there was a split in the group. About forty broke away from Seiryu to avoid dealing with Teknisk Wereld. The other twenty or so stayed with their leader."

"Who hired them?" Miles inquired.

Grenky shrugged. "Even I don't know that one."

"These other forty won't be trying to help Seiryu then, right?" Miles said.

"Exactly right!" Grenky drank some more tea.

Miles mimicked him, despite it being cold. "How good are they as duelists?"

"The ones with Seiryu all have the ability to duel well," Grenky replied. "At least, that is what I have heard."

"I see. Well, I think that covers everything." Miles finished off the drink and handed Grenky his cup, as did Gen. "Thanks for the tea."

"TAY!"

"Right, that. And for the information."

"Anytime, King." Grenky's fiddle stopped dancing and dropped into his hand after he removed the card. "I'll be going now. Call me if you need anything else."

"Same to you," Miles said.

After Grenky exited the arcade, Miles commented, "I'm impressed at how well he collects information."

"Indeed. It's worth enduring the tea for," Gen agreed.

"TAY!" they heard him yell from outside.

"Tay," Miles sighed. "I have no idea how he can hear us when we don't say it, but whatever." He and Gen left the building as well.

They were a street away from the hotel when Gen slowed, looking around. "Doesn't something feel wrong? It's like we're… being watched."

Miles was about to respond when he heard a sudden whistle from behind him. Recognizing the sound, he instantly threw himself to the right, desperately hoping that he was not too late.

Had he not been so quick, Miles would have been pierced through the heart and killed instantly. As it was, the white knife instead plunged through the back of his left shoulder instead, the point emerging from the front.

"Miles!" Gen exclaimed, catching him as he fell forward and kneeling with him. "Miles, speak to me!"

In response, Miles opened his eyes. "That sucked."

"Good, you're in a right state of mind," Gen said.

"Yep. You know me." Miles managed to sit up on his own and pulled out the white knife, wincing but not making any noise beyond a small growl of pain as it slid out. He examined the bone-like instrument of death. "But who the hell did that?"

"I am impressed. It has been a long time since I found a victim that did not die by my first knife thrown."

They looked up to see a man standing there. He wore a formal black business outfit with white gloves and hard black shoes. His short, black hair was mostly concealed by a top hat he wore, but what they could see was neatly combed back, as well tended as the fine-trimmed black mustache he had. One of his brown eyes was covered with a monocle. In his right hand he held a blood-red rose with a thorn-less stem.

Beside him stood what had to be his Soul Monster. His outfit was almost completely gray, including his shirt, pants, gloves, top hat, and the outside of his cloak. Only the red inside lining of the cloak and the black shoes broke the trend. His facial features were concealed by the top hat, and he held a gray cane.

"Thanks, but I still hate you," Miles said as he staggered upright. "Who are you?"

"I suppose that you deserve to be told, since you lived this long. I am an assassin called the Gentleman." He held out the rose. "This is my calling card. I leave one with all my victims."

"Sorry, but I'm really not a flower guy," Miles replied. "You're not about to leave it on my corpse…" He was cut off by a sudden flare of pain in his shoulder that caused him to snarl aloud.

"Just because you were not killed by my initial strike does not mean you are safe yet," the Gentleman informed him. He ejected a card from his Duel Disk, causing the knife to vanish from Miles' hand, and then held the card up for him to see. "This is Poison Fang. I modified its appearance for my own uses, but you should still understand what that means."

"I'm poisoned. Do I get a Nobel Prize for figuring that out?" Miles said, trying to ignore the steady pain that would not fade.

"You will die within an hour. The more you move, the less time you have to live." The Gentleman carefully slid the rose into his shirt collar. "Still, if I do not finish the job now, you might manage to heal yourself. I doubt you have a Cleanse Magic with you. However, it is safe to assume that one of your friends will."

"Damn it… he's right… I don't have one of those," Miles muttered. He raised his voice to tell his opponent, "You won't be able to kill me now though. You've revealed yourself. I can defend myself from your attacks now."

"Of course. That is why I propose a death duel. If you can win quickly enough, you might be able to reach the hotel in time," the Gentleman said.

That caused Miles to start. "What? You know where they are?"

"I do," the Gentleman confirmed. "So do others among our ranks. All the more reason to hurry, no?"

"Argh… by the time we're done with this freak, it might be too late to warn them…" Miles said.

The Gentleman raised an eyebrow. "Freak? We really are not that different in profession. Both of our jobs involve silence, stealth, and actions that many consider unpleasant."

"I never said I wasn't a freak," Miles pointed out. "Unlike you, I don't mind hammering myself with criticism." Then he said to Gen, "You should go to the hotel while I duel him. Then you can… warn the others…" Miles swayed slightly at this. "Aw hell…"

Gen took hold of Miles' right shoulder. "You're in no condition to try this on your own."

Miles hesitated. "But…"

"The group can handle whatever comes," Gen assured. "You know that."

"…Yeah… you're right…" Miles activated his Duel Disk. "Then let's get this over with! I'm not dying yet!"

"No sense in delaying the inevitable." The Gentleman did the same.

Miles: 8000

Gentleman: 8000

"I am one for ladies first, but since neither of us fit that category, allow me to do the honors," the Gentleman said. "I place one monster and a card down."

"We have to win this quickly," Miles told Gen. "Try to grab something good, all right?"

"I'll see what I can do." Gen vanished.

"What?" The Gentleman looked around warily.

"Leave the thieving to us. You stick with your knife throwing hobby," Miles said as Gen reappeared next to him and handed him a card. "Gen's Deck Master ability allows me to take one card from you and use it as my own."

The Gentleman examined his hand. "I see. And what will you accomplish with that?"

Miles gave the card a disgusted look. "Nightmare Horse? Why is that in your deck?" He sighed. "Oh well. I summon Falcon Knight (1000/700) and lay a card down. Falcon Knight attacks!"

"I activate my instant magic card, Book of the Moon," the Gentleman said. "Your monster is flipped to face-down defense mode."

"Fine. Your turn." Miles did not like how this was going. If the Gentleman had more cards that could block attacks, this duel could last a long time. He lacked the luxury of taking that amount of time.

When the Gentleman drew, Miles said, "I activate Lost Property! That forces you to discard the card you just drew."

"It was my Drillago," the Gentleman said without any trace of concern. "I flip summon Unknown Follower." (700/500)

"That does… what?" Miles asked.

"He can attack directly. I also summon Sneaky Fire Spirit. (100/200) She holds the ability to attack directly as well. Each time she is successful, her attack raises by 1000."

"Lovely," Miles said sarcastically. "All low-leveled monsters. Going to attack me?"

"In a moment. First, I wish to activate my own Deck Master ability. My Soul Monster is a Charismatic Thief named Cameo." Cameo took his cane and pointed it at Miles. "Now I attack directly with both of my monsters."

The Unknown Follower's blast of water caught Miles off guard; it was more forceful than he had expected. The Fire Spirit did much less damage; the tiny sprite merely burned him lightly before retreating. She seemed stronger when she returned to the Gentleman's field though. (1100/200)

Miles: 7200

Gentleman: 8000

"Now Cameo's effect is activated." The Charismatic Thief vanished in a flash of gray. He reappeared in front of Miles and smacked him with his cane twice before vanishing again. As Miles tried to recover from the two brutal strikes, the Gentleman said, "For each direct attack that was done, you discard a random card. Since two were done, you lose two cards."

Miles shuffled around his hand and pulled out two cards. "You made me discard Troop Commander… and your own Nightmare Horse."

"Quite good. I can only do that effect once per duel, but it was well worth it. I lay a card down and end my turn," the Gentleman concluded.

"Gen's effect can only be used once too, but seeing as how crummy that Nightmare Horse was, I don't really mind." Miles drew a card and shrugged as he looked at it. "Why not. I summon Century Thief. (1000/1000) I flip summon Falcon Knight. Then I equip Century Thief with Demon Axe." (2000/1000)

"Now seems to be a good time to activate my trap card, Menacing Roar," the Gentleman interrupted. "During this turn, you may not declare an attack."

Miles gave him an annoyed look. "I thought gentlemen were polite, yet here you go, rudely cutting me off. I'm done."

"My apologies," the Gentleman replied, bowing slightly before drawing. "I suppose you have a point, even if you are merely a thief… sorry, a spy now."

"Less talk more action," Miles said, swaying slightly again. He was feeling weaker than before.

The Gentleman nodded. "As you wish. I switch Unknown Follower to defense mode, lay a card down, and have Fire Spirit attack directly."

This time, the sprite's flames hurt a lot more than before. Miles winced from the pain. She retreated once more, this time even stronger. (2100/200)

Miles: 6100

Gentleman: 8000

"Fine by me. I have Century Thief attack your Unknown Follower!" The Thief cleaved the strange creature in half. "I switch Falcon Knight to defense mode."

"My turn? In that case, I summon Grudge." (0/100)

"Another direct attacker?" Miles guessed as the floating red blob appeared. "And another monster below level four…" he muttered to himself.

"Yes, but it cannot do much now. I will merely have my Fire Spirit attack Century Thief," the Gentleman said.

Miles grimaced as he saw the Fire Spirit burn away the Century Thief. He was not sure he would be able to stand up to an attack as brutal as that in his condition.

Miles: 6000

Gentleman: 8000

"This has got to be a trap," Miles sighed. "Nevertheless… I switch Falcon Knight to attack mode and attack Grudge!"

"Indeed it is. I activate my trap card, Chained Boomerang," the Gentleman announced. "This switches your Falcon Knight to defense mode. It can also be equipped to one of my monsters to raise their attack by 500. I give it to Grudge." (500/100)

"I get the feeling that won't be good," Miles commented. "I lay one monster down and end my turn."

"Not for you," the Gentleman agreed. "I summon Rocket Jumper." (1000/800)

Miles' eye twitched. "What level is it?"

"Three," the Gentleman answered.

"Oh go to hell," Miles muttered.

"Rocket Jumper can attack directly when all of your monsters are in defense mode," the Gentleman informed him. "I have him do so. Then Grudge attacks. When it inflicts damage, its attack increases by 1000. Fire Spirit finishes up the assault."

The Rocket Jumper crashed into Miles, nearly causing him to fall over. The Grudge added to difficulties by hitting Miles with the Chained Boomerang and gaining more attack power. (1500/100) The Fire Spirit was the worst though. The burns that she inflicted on Miles would have made him to collapse if Gen had not been there to keep him upright. To make matters even worse, the Fire Spirit grew in attack power once more. (3100/200)

The Gentleman looked pleased by Miles' condition. "In addition to this, I activate an instant magic card, Sebek's Blessing, from my hand. When one of my monsters directly attacks, I gain Life Points equal to the amount you lost. That is all."

Miles: 2400

Gentleman: 10100

Miles tried to straighten, but that sent a wave of pain through his body that forced him to lean against Gen once more. "Not a good situation, huh?"

"Will you be able to keep going?" Gen asked worriedly.

"Yeah… I'm not about to give up!" Miles drew a card to prove his point. "Hah, I've got him! I summon Critter!" (1000/600)

"Oh? How do you expect Critter to save you?" the Gentleman inquired.

Miles smiled slightly. "It's not Critter that will help; he's just a bonus to this play. I activate Magic Box of Death! This destroys a monster on your field and gives you control of one of mine. Your Fire Spirit dies, and you can have my Critter."

"Ah… that is regretful," the Gentleman said as he watched swords fly into the box, killing his Fire Spirit. "Anything else?"

"Yep. I flip summon White Thief! (1000/700) Then I play Force!" Miles said. "That cuts one of your monsters' attack in half and gives it to one of mine. I'll have it affect Grudge and power up Falcon Knight. (750/100) (1750/700) White Thief attacks Grudge! Then Falcon Knight attacks Critter and Rocket Jumper!"

This was the first attack that had actually hurt the Gentleman. He did not seem to notice the pain though. The attacks were too minor for anything serious.

Miles: 2400

Gentleman: 8350

"How could Falcon Knight attack twice?" the Gentleman asked.

"It's a special effect of his," Miles answered. "Now for the other effects. White Thief would normally make you discard a card from your hand, but you don't have any, so we can disregard that. However, Critter's ability helps me. When he is destroyed, I search my deck for a monster with 1500 attack or less and put it into my hand. I'll take Surprising Matasa. I lay one card down and end my turn."

"It seems I am without any monsters," the Gentleman observed. "I lay one down."

"I'll summon Surprising Matasa." (1300/800) As Miles placed the card on his Duel Disk, his vision briefly blackened, and then returned to normal. "Grah… I have to hurry. Matasa attacks!"

The Gentleman smirked. "You have run into my Soul-Hunting Spirit. (300/200) He cannot be destroyed in battle. Done?"

"Yeah…" Miles said reluctantly.

"I lay a card down and end my turn," the Gentleman concluded promptly.

"I summon another Surprising Matasa and am done…" Miles was getting nervous. If he could not get rid of the Soul-Hunting Spirit soon, the poison was more than certain to finish him off.

Fortunately for Miles, that turned out to not be a problem when the Gentleman made his play. "I activate my trap, Cry of the Living Dead, to revive Nightmare Horse. (300/200) Then I play Fusion, using Soul-Hunting Spirit and Nightmare Horse to form Nightmare-Riding Spirit!" (800/600)

Miles gazed at the Grim Reaper-style monster riding the fearsome horse. "Oh freaking boy… this ought to be good…" Then he blinked. "Wait. That monster… its level…"

"My Nightmare-Riding Spirit can attack directly, so he does!" The horse sprang forward while the Spirit raised his hand, ready to bring down his scythe…

…Only for the horse to abruptly crash into the ground, neighing and struggling uselessly as it tried to rise.

"Hah! I finally get to use my Gravity Bind!" Miles said triumphantly. "I've had it all duel, but until now, you hadn't played a monster that was level four or above! Anyway, you can't attack with monsters that are level four or higher now."

"This could be a problem," the Gentleman said, looking slightly anxious. "I end my turn…"

"Your Nightmare-Riding Spirit makes a good target," Miles said. "I'm willing to bet he can't be destroyed in battle either, but I can still cause a fair amount of pain. I summon Century Thief!" (1000/1000) Miles looked at his five monsters and smiled faintly. "It's a pity you have no cards in your hand, but that can't be helped. My two Matasas and Falcon Knight attack twice while White Thief and Century Thief each attack once!"

The eight attacks slashed and punctured the Nightmare-Riding Spirit, which kept reforming only to be attacked again. The Gentleman staggered slightly under each blow.

Miles: 2400

Gentleman: 5550

"I am out of options… I switch Nightmare-Riding Spirit to defense mode and lay a monster down," the Gentleman said regretfully.

"Then it's over!" Miles declared. "I play Demon Axe on Nightmare-Riding Spirit! If he works like Soul-Hunting Spirit, being targeted by a magic card should destroy him!"

"It does…" the Gentleman said as his monster exploded.

"Then I equip Falcon Knight with Power of Teamwork!" Miles said, grinning as the Gentleman's eyes widened. "This raises his stats by 800 for each monster on my field. (5000/4700) My White Thief attacks your defense monster!"

"My Dweller of Darkness Shadowkiller…" (1400/200) The Gentleman closed his eyes. "I am finished…"

"Falcon Knight attacks you twice!" Miles declared.

The bird warrior slashed the Gentleman twice with such brutality that his body was cut apart under the force of the blows. Cameo vanished; his Soul card had apparently met the same fate.

Miles: 2400

Gentleman: 0

"That'll teach him to try and assassinate me," Miles said. Then he nearly collapsed, his vision blackening again. "Aw heck…"

"Miles!" Gen strained to keep him up. "We have to get to the hotel. Come on, you can make it!"

"Not so sure about that myself… but I'm not one to give up…" Miles attempted to step forward and would have fallen if his Soul Monster was still acting as support.

"You've changed in that aspect," Gen remarked as they went forward, trying to keep Miles' mind off the pain.

Miles managed to smile at that. "Yep… got the group to thank for that one, and you. Suppose I should thank you for sticking around now too."

"Not a problem," Gen replied. By this time, they had reached the corner. "Thank everything that the hotel is close by. We are nearly there."

"That's good… my vision's going bad again…" Miles muttered, blinking a few times in a vain attempt to clear it.

"Don't worry. I'm sure one of them will have the card you need to be healed from…" Gen trailed off as he saw the hotel and stared. "What… on earth… happened here?"

To be continued…


	13. Submerged

Two more cards need explaining, it seems. Poison Fang is a permanent magic card that inflicts 500 Life Point damage whenever an Animal Sub-Type does battle damage. Cleanse Magic is a trap that destroys all face-up permanent magic cards on the field, at the cost of discarding a card.

**Chapter Thirteen: Submerged**

"I spy, with my little eye, something red," Rue said.

"Not again!" Draken complained. "EVERYTHING in this room is red!"

"I know. Better start guessing," Rue grinned.

Draken sighed. "The walls, floor, or ceiling."

"Nope."

"Oh wow, you tried for something obscure for once. All right, let's see…"

It was a few minutes after Miles had left, and many of them were bored. Rue had especially been in a bad mood, since his worry for Claire was consuming his thoughts. So Draken had started up the game. Although he was regretting it somewhat, Rue had been successfully distracted, and Draken thought that made it worthwhile.

"They're having fun," Neo commented.

"I'm sure," Will replied, his attention on his book. He was sitting in a chair that was a pretty good distance from everyone else. The only ones nearby were Neo, Kazel, and Kisara, who was petting Kazel's head.

"Considering what we have been told, you seem as calm as ever," Kazel commented as her tail swished over the floor lightly, showing her pleasure as Kisara scratched her behind a horn.

"I already knew about Chasity," Will explained. "I had two visions before the one of Angela. The first was Hope and Max embracing each other. The second was of Chasity in the hospital."

"Have you had any others recently?" Kisara asked.

Will nodded. "One. It was of a girl typing at a computer. She wore a necklace with a silver cross."

Kazel thought over that. "You did not recognize her?"

"No, but I would if I saw her again." He returned to his reading.

Max seemed to have his mind elsewhere. Wondering what he was concentrating on, Hope said, "What are you thinking about?"

He gave her a startled look. "Oh... nothing really… I'll tell you later, all right?"

"Sure." Hope suppressed her curiosity and examined her deck while waiting.

Larka was watching Angela, who stood nearby. "Angela, what are you doing?"

"Watching for enemies. My orders are to keep the substitute safe," Angela answered.

Larka hesitated, but said, "Would you mind calling me Larka? Every time you refer to me as the substitute… well… it makes me uneasy."

"As you wish, Larka," Angela replied.

"You seem worried about something," Zack said to Larka.

"Well… I am just hoping that I can eventually get used to Angela," Larka confessed. "It feels like we are separated due to her lack of emotions, but… I would like to overcome that somehow."

Zack was not sure on how to respond to that, so he merely said, "Only time will tell."

Larka nodded. It was obvious that her mind was still on it though. Malon gave her an annoyed look and licked her across the face, telling her to pay attention to him. That caused her to laugh, breaking her out of her concerned state of mind.

"This is so boring," Mana complained.

Brandi shrugged. "Not much we can do about it." She indicated to where Will was. "You could go participate in the 'pet the dragon' activity over there."

"Very funny," Mana muttered.

Brandi's gesture had caught Draken's attention. He stared at her hand for so long that Rue impatiently said, "Your next guess?"

His mind on what he had just seen, Draken said absentmindedly, "Kazel's eyes."

Rue blinked. "Wow, you're pretty darn good! Your turn."

"Um… give me a minute, will you?" Draken got up and walked over to Brandi.

"You need something?" Brandi asked when she noticed him.

"Your ring… did Matt propose to you?" Draken asked. "You didn't have it on yesterday."

"Yes, he did," Brandi answered.

"Oh… congratulations..." Draken trailed off, thinking.

Brandi could guess what his mind was on. "Don't worry. You will know when the time is right to ask her."

"Huh?" Draken went slightly red. "What do you mean?"

"You know full-well who I am talking about." Brandi turned back to Mana to avoid embarrassing Draken further.

Everyone's individual conversations halted when Angela spoke up. "Danger detected."

"Danger?" Larka asked.

Before Angela could answer, a sudden rush of water slammed into everyone.

"What the heck?" Hope exclaimed.

Will stored his book away; it had been saved from a drenching thanks to Kazel's huge body. "A support card of some sort, I assume."

"Um, guys? We have a problem," Mana pointed out. "The water level is increasing."

Indeed it was. The water now reached their ankles and was steadily rising. It was a mere annoyance for most, but Neo looked pained by it. He leaned against his staff for support as the water got higher. Zack also seemed to be wary of the water, but was not suffering from the current amount.

"There's no outlet for the water," Max realized. "We'll be flooded if this keeps up."

"Mana, could you float over to the door and open it?" Brandi requested.

Mana sped over to the door, skimming the surface of the water, and tried to open it to no avail. "Locked!"

"How did that happen?" Rue said.

"Probably the work of a Judge," Gaston assumed.

"Angela, could you break down the door?" Larka asked.

"Yes." Angela sent forward a spear of hair, punching a hole in the door.

"That works…" Draken started to say before he noticed something. "Wait… what the…"

The door was reforming before their eyes. The hole was covered in less than a second and looked as though it had never been broken.

"A support card known as Physical Duplication was used," Angela stated. "The building will be repaired when damaged."

"So much for that idea," Rue said.

"We could teleport out if necessary," Darche suggested. "Then we could return and find Miles."

"But if this is a Judge, we might be able to finish him or her off now!" Max said.

"He has a point," Draken remarked. "We won't get very far in our fight against the Judges if we keep running from them."

"We have a problem though. Where would this Judge be?" Kazel asked.

"Probably on a higher floor," Larka said as she lifted Malon, who had been doggy-paddling to keep his head above the water.

"Then let's go up!" Rue said impatiently.

"I don't think I'll be going much of anywhere…" Neo groaned.

"The halls are too small for us," Kazel said, nodding to Tenma. "We should return to our Soul Cards until you find the Judge."

"That's fine." Max took out his card and recalled Tenma. Kisara followed his lead.

"In fact, I think we all should," Gaston said.

Malon barked in protest.

"Except for Malon," Gaston added. "It would make this quicker, especially for Neo. And most of us are wearing armor, so…"

"Good call," Hope said. The others were in agreement. Several bursts of white light occurred, leaving only Malon.

The water was now up to their knees, which made it a bit difficult to walk. They soon made it to the staircase though and went up it. The second floor was much easier to navigate, but nobody was there.

"There are five floors in all," Rue said as they ran down the hall. "I'm willing to bet that the fifth floor is what we'll need to reach."

He turned out to be correct. They passed the third and floor without incident. It was the fifth floor, the roof level, where they found their opponent.

When they emerged from the stairs, the first thing they saw was a girl in her early teens standing there. She wore a purple and orange striped, sleeveless shirt with purple shorts. Her blonde hair, tied back in a ponytail, went to her shoulder blades. Her sea-green eyes watched them eagerly as they entered.

Her Soul Monster was quite intimidating. It looked like a blue sea-serpent with a white stomach that was at least twice as tall as any of them. Upon seeing them, it hissed warningly, revealing huge, sharp, red teeth.

Everyone instantly called up their Soul Monsters as Draken said, "Are you a Judge?"

"Oooh, you catch on quick!" the girl teased. "I'm Brook, and this is my Soul Monster, a Leviathan."

"You're trying to drown us!" Neo accused.

"And you like saying things that are obvious! What's your point?" Brook asked.

"Enemy detected. Will commence attack," Angela stated as her hair rose.

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Brook exclaimed, waving her hands quickly. "Hold your fire! If you don't, you'll all die too!"

"Angela, wait," Larka said. "Don't attack yet."

"Affirmative." Angela returned to her usual stance.

Brook wiped her brow with the back of her right hand. "Whew, that was close… Anyway, if we do not do this properly, the water will kill all of you. That's the way my support cards, Water World and Physical Duplication, are set."

"We could just teleport out," Rue pointed out.

"Not if I activate a card to stop you from doing that!" Brook retorted. "Still, that means I'd die too, so I'm not particularly interested in that. Instead, I'd like to have a duel."

"A death duel?" Gaston assumed.

"Yep. The loser gets killed due to having shields off," Brook said. "If your member loses, the rest of the group dies too, because by then, the water will have reached this room. If I lose, the water stops automatically. I'll even let you choose who duels me. Sound good?"

"I vote Brandi," Rue said at once.

"What? Why me?" Brandi asked.

"Yeah, I do too," Max said with a grin.

"As do I," Will concurred.

"Me too," Hope agreed.

"Why Brandi?" Mana inquired.

"Well, she… um… hasn't dueled one yet. Yeah, that's it," Rue said quickly.

Brandi frowned. "All right then. Not sure why you all would think I'm best for this, but okay." She and Mana went in front of Brook.

Brandi: 8000

Brook: 8000

"Just because I can, I think I'll go first!" Brook said brightly. "And my first move is to play The Legendary City Atlantis!"

There were three reactions to this play. The first was with Mana. She only had enough time to furiously yell, "NOT AGAIN… AGAIN!" before being submerged by the water.

Then there was the group. They did not have enough time to react either. The wave crashed into them, sending most reeling from the force. Although they all seemed annoyed by the blow, Neo was the worst off. He leaned against a wall for support while being in the water.

Brandi's response was the most notable though. For exactly ten seconds she stood there, blinking. Several times. Too many times.

"Cover your ears," Max advised. The group took note to his suggestion and did so.

They were just in time, for Brandi exploded. "WHY? WHY DO I ALWAYS GET THE IDIOTS WITH ATLANTIS? WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY! I AM SICK AND TIRED AND DISGUSTED WITH ATLANTIS! GIVE ME SOMETHING NEW TO FACE! QUIT THROWING ATLANTIS HIPPIES AT ME BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO FREAKING ANNOYING AND STUPID! ATLANTIS AND ALL THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH IT CAN GO JUMP OFF A CLIFF AND GET IMPALED BEFORE BEING BURIED IN THE SEA THEY LOVE SO MUCH!" Brandi broke off, breathing harshly.

Mana popped her head out of the water. "Is she done?"

"No," Max answered, covering his ears once more. Mana followed his example.

Brandi began to yell again. "I LIKE THE OCEAN! I LOVE THE OCEAN! YET THIS REJECT OF A CARD HATES ME! THIS IS THE THIRD FREAKING TIME I HAVE HAD TO FREAKING DUEL FREAKING ATLANTIS! WHOEVER INVENTED THAT CARD OUGHT TO BE SHOT! SEVERAL TIMES FOR THAT MATTER! AND BE DROPPED OFF THE FACE OF THE PLANET! LET'S SEE HIM REACH HIS PRECIOUS OCEAN THEN! THAT STUPID OCEAN AND ITS STUPID RUINS WITH ITS STUPID LOST CIVILIZATION! IT WAS LOST FOR A REASON-SO IT WOULDN'T BE USED BY IDIOTS LIKE YOU!"

"Um…" Brook looked like she wanted to say something, but Brandi would have none of it.

"YOU JUST MADE THE WORST MISTAKE OF YOUR SHORTENED LIFE BY PLAYING THAT CARD! I SWEAR THAT I'LL RIP YOU AND YOUR BELOVED ATLANTIS TO SHREDS AND LEAVE YOUR REMAINS FOR SEAGULLS TO PICK AT! THAT OUGHT TO MAKE YOU HAPPY, HUH! TO BE BURIED AT THE SEA AND LOST FOREVER LIKE YOUR RETARDED CARD! AND I WILL LAUGH! LAUGH FOR A VERY VERY LONG TIME! AND FEEL NO GUILT ABOUT IT! BECAUSE YOU DESERVE TO BE DROPKICKED SO HARD THAT YOU GO STRAIGHT THROUGH HELL TO EMERGE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD SO YOU CAN DROWN!"

Brandi finally cut off, panting. Everyone stared at her.

"I think it is safe now," Max said, removing his hands.

"Oh. That is good." Larka did the same cautiously. Brandi's shouts had especially hurt her sensitive ears.

"…I do not understand," Kisara said timidly. "Why does she hate Atlantis?"

"She had to duel two duelists she disliked that used it," Will explained. "That was why I thought it would be good for her to face it again. She is more used to it than us."

"I just wanted to see her rant," Rue said, his eyes wide. "But geez! I didn't think she'd get like that!"

"That's my sister," Max said dryly.

"At least she's motivated enough to kill Brook," Draken commented.

"…Wow… I really don't know… how to respond to that…" Brook said, blinking. Even Leviathan looked stunned.

Brandi coughed a few times, and then said in a hoarse voice, "Finish your stupid turn."

"…Uh… right. I summon Death Gremlin (1600/1800) and end my turn." Brook looked relieved that Brandi had apparently gotten over her hatred for the moment.

"Time to tear you apart," Brandi growled. "I summon Kaiser Seahorse (1700/1650) and attack your Death Gremlin!"

The blast of light made Brook stagger back, her hands covering her eyes. But the damage was minimal.

Brandi: 8000

Brook: 7900

"I lay a card down. Take your turn," Brandi concluded.

Brook gazed at her hand and then hesitated before saying, "Judging by your reaction… you know what Atlantis does?"

"Damn right I do," Brandi snapped. "All of your Water Main-Types go down a level and get a stat increase of 200."

"Good, you do know. In that case, I summon Hydrogeddon!" Brook said. (1800/1200)

"Hydrogeddon? What is this, chemistry class?" Draken remarked.

Hope shuddered. "I HATED chemistry."

"Amen," Rue said, wincing.

Brook ignored them. "Hydrogeddon attacks Kaiser Seahorse!"

A strong blast of water cut through Brandi's monster, drenching her.

Brandi: 7900

Brook: 7900

"Since Hydrogeddon destroyed your monster in battle, his effect activates," Brook said. "I can special summon one Hydrogeddon from my deck. I'll bring him out in attack mode. I lay one card down and end my turn."

Brandi looked a bit uneasy at this effect. "I lay a monster down. That's it."

Brook smiled at her next card. "Perfect! I summon Oxygeddon! (1800/800) Then I play a magic card, Bonding-H2O! By sacrificing two Hydrogeddons and an Oxygeddon from my field, I can special summon Water Dragon from my hand, deck, or Cemetery! I will summon him from my hand!" (3000/2800)

Everyone stared in awe as a huge serpent emerged. Every part of its body was made from water, from its tail to its fierce jaws. Only its red eyes seemed to be an exception.

"…That has got to be the worst pun in this game. Period," Rue said.

Brook looked annoyed at his comment. "You shut up. Water Dragon is my strongest monster, and he can easily tear any opponent I face apart! This is especially helped by Leviathan's Deck Master ability. He stops all Sea Dragon Sub-Types from being destroyed in any method except battle." Brook slid a card into her Duel Disk. "Now I equip him with Meteor Strike! This causes him to do damage to your monsters in defense! He attacks!"

The Water Dragon let loose a colossal blast of water from its mouth, which obliterated the monster Brandi had.

Brandi grimaced. "My Starving Girl…" (0/100)

Brandi: 5000

Brook: 7900

"That foiled Brandi's strategy," Will observed.

"How do you figure?" Rue asked.

"She was probably assuming that Brook would try to rush her with several monsters," Will explained. "Starving Girl instantly ends a battle phase when she is destroyed in battle, so Brandi was relying on her effect to save her Life Points. But since Brook only had Water Dragon…"

"Ouch," Draken said. "That has to hurt."

Brandi did seem hurt from the attack, but she was more than ready to go on. "I summon Volt Girl (1900/800) and lay a card down. Nothing else I can do."

"I summon Gagagigo! (2050/1200) He attacks Volt Girl!" Brook declared.

"I activate my trap card, Itaqua's Gale!" Brandi retorted. "All of your monsters change battle positions. That causes both of your monsters to go into defense mode."

Brook shrugged. "Oh well. I switch my Water Dragon back to attack mode and end my turn."

"My turn to go on the offense!" Brandi said. "I'll flip over my trap card, Cry of the Living Dead, to revive my Kaiser Seahorse! His effect is that he can serve as two sacrifices when it is for a Light Main-Type monster. So I sacrifice him for Emesu the Infinity!" (2500/2000)

Brook was unimpressed by the huge machine. "That doesn't have enough power to destroy my Water Dragon."

"He is about to have enough," Brandi replied. "I attack Gagagigo with Emesu!"

"I might as well activate this now," Brook said. "It's my Tornado Wall. As long as Atlantis is on the field, your attacks will not do damage to my Life Points."

"Doesn't matter." The Emesu hacked through the water barrier and cut through Gagagigo with its sword. The sword glowed and grew larger. "My Emesu's effect still activates. When he kills a monster, his attack rises by 700." (3200/2000)

"Oh drat," Brook said, although she did not seem as concerned as one would think. "Is it my turn?"

"After I lay down a card," Brandi answered.

Brook looked at her drawn card and shook her head. "I attack Volt Girl with Water Dragon!"

"I'll stop you with Emissary of Harmony," Brandi said. "It causes your attacks to do no damage this turn."

"In that case, I have to end…" Brook sighed.

"Then I am going to launch a full-force attack," Brandi announced. "I summon Asura. (1700/1200) Next I play Cyclone, destroying Atlantis! (2800/2600) Your Tornado Wall should also be gone from that, right?"

"Yes…"

Brandi was happier now that the room was not filled with water anymore. "Good. Emesu attacks your Water Dragon!" The mighty sword cleaved the Water Dragon in two, and grew even larger. (3900/2000)

"Since you destroyed my Water Dragon, his effect activates," Brook stated. "I get to special summon two Hydrogeddons and an Oxygeddon from my Cemetery." (1600/1000) (1800/800)

"Not a problem," Brandi said. "Volt Girl attacks Oxygeddon, and Asura attacks both your Hydrogeddons!"

"What? You can't do that!" Brook protested. Yet the Asura threw swords at her Hydrogeddons, cutting them apart effortlessly.

"Asura can attack all monsters on your side of the field," Brandi informed her. "I end my turn, and Asura returns to my hand. That is because he is a Spirit monster."

Brandi: 5000

Brook: 7200

"Looks like she took a few ideas from her mother," Gaston remarked.

"Oh yeah… Abby does use Spirits," Hope recalled. "It's been so long since we saw her play."

Brook seemed satisfied with her draw. "I play a magic card, Jar of Covetousness. It causes me to take five monster cards from my Cemetery and shuffle them into my deck. Then I draw two cards." Once she had done that, she said, "I lay a monster in defense mode and end my turn."

"I summon Asura again," Brandi said. "She attacks your defense monster."

"My Saint Magician. (300/400) I retrieve Bonding-H2O from my Cemetery with her effect," Brook decided.

"Volt Girl and Emesu attack directly!"

The two attacks hit Brook severely. She had to lean against Leviathan before she could stand up straight again.

Brandi: 5000

Brook: 1400

"That may have hurt… but I'm not done yet!" Brook declared. "I'm going to win this, to make sure Teknisk Wereld is wiped away completely!"

"Why do you want Teknisk Wereld to be destroyed?" Larka asked.

Brook looked away. "My sister… she died in it. It was when the world first came into existence. They promised it was safe, that death couldn't occur, yet she drowned in the lake…"

"The lake is one of the most unstable areas in Teknisk Wereld, from what I can tell," Will stated. "I can see why that might occur."

"That is why I use this deck," Brook said. "To remember how she died, and why Teknisk Wereld has to be destroyed! So that there are no other victims like her! I summon Oxygeddon and lay a card down!"

"I'm sorry that you lost your sister, but that is not a good enough reason to delete this world!" Brandi said. "I attack Oxygeddon with Emesu!"

"I activate Holy Barrier-Mirror Force!" Brook countered. "It negates your attack and destroys both of your attack mode monsters."

"I was worried it might be something like that, hence why I did not summon yet. I place a monster down and end my turn," Brandi concluded.

"Oxygeddon will attack the monster you set," Brook said.

"It is my Compassionate Nun." (850/2000)

Brandi: 5000

Brook: 1200

Brook shrugged again. "No big deal. I set my own monster. Go ahead."

"All I'm going to do is lay another monster," Brandi said.

"You're all but finished!" Brook declared. "I summon Hydrogeddon and flip over my other one! Then I play Bonding-H2O to special summon Water Dragon from my deck!"

"Unless you have another Meteor Strike, you can't hurt me this turn," Brandi said.

"Next turn will be different," Brook promised. "I attack your face-down monster."

"My Asura is destroyed."

"Then that's all for me."

Brandi grimaced at her hand. "I lay a monster and end my turn."

"I've got you now!" Brook announced. "I sacrifice both of your monsters to special summon Lava Golem!" (3000/2500)

Brandi found herself trapped in the fiery cage the Lava Golem held. "Now I know how Max felt. But why do that? Lava Golem is strong enough to destroy Water Dragon."

"Actually, he is nowhere near strong enough to destroy Water Dragon," Brook corrected her. "Water Dragon's effect causes all Fire Main-Types and Fire Sub-Types to have an attack power of zero. (0/2500) Water Dragon attacks Lava Golem!"

The blast of water effortlessly destroyed the Lava Golem, causing Brandi to fall to the floor. She managed to land on her feet, although it was close; the attack had weakened her greatly.

Brandi: 2200

Brook: 1200

"Not a bad combo," Brandi said as she drew. "But I'm still going to win. I play Early Burial on Emesu. It costs me 800 Life Points…" Brandi winced as she felt her energy being sapped. "But it also special summons a monster from the Cemetery in attack mode." (2500/2000)

Brand: 1400

Brook: 1200

"He can't power up in time to destroy Water Dragon," Brook said.

"You're right," Brandi confirmed. "That's why I'm going to sacrifice him for Kaiser Glider!" (2400/2200)

"That's even weaker!" Brook pointed out.

"Yep. I lay a card down and end my turn."

Brook eyed her suspiciously, but apparently decided that the potential gain outweighed the dangers. "I equip Scroll of Illusions on Kaiser Glider! It allows me to choose a Main-Type, and the equipped monster changes to that Main-Type! Obviously, I'm going to pick Fire! (0/2200) Water Dragon attacks!"

"I'll activate my trap card, Spirit Barrier!" Brandi retorted. "I take no damage when I have a monster on the field!"

"Big deal. Your monster is still destroyed!" The Water Dragon's attack slaughtered the Kaiser Glider, while the Spirit Barrier stopped the attack from reaching Brandi.

"And that's exactly what I wanted," Brandi said with a grin. "My Kaiser Glider's effect activates. If he is destroyed and sent to the Cemetery, a monster on the field is returned to its owner's hand! So your Water Dragon is gone!"

"But that means that I don't even get to special summon my Hydrogeddons or my Oxygeddon!" Brook realized.

"That's right. Going to do anything else?" Brandi inquired.

"I… I can't…" Brook said. For the first time in the whole duel, she seemed truly worried about her position.

Brandi drew and glared at her hand. "I'm so close to winning… but I have no monsters…"

"Wait!" Mana exclaimed. "We don't have to rely on a draw. I can use my Deck Master ability!"

"Did it change?" Brandi asked.

"Yep! You remove any amount of monsters from the game to draw cards equal to the number you removed," Mana explained. "You have to skip Draw Phases equal to half the amount removed, but that shouldn't matter in this case. Up for it?"

"You bet! I'm going to remove Kaiser Seahorse, Starving Girl, Volt Girl, Asura, Compassionate Nun, Emesu, and Kaiser Glider to draw seven cards! I'll definitely get a monster in that!" Brandi drew the seven cards and smiled. "That was more than enough! I summon Otohime!" (0/100)

"Are you kidding me?" Brook said in disbelief.

"Nope. I equip her with Power of Magicians, raising her stats by 500 for every magic or trap card on my field," Brandi said. "I lay three more cards down, filling up my slots. Then I play Shine Spark, raising all of my Light Main-Type monsters' attack power by 500 and lowering their defense by 400. (3500/3200) She attacks, finishing you!"

The Otohime leapt forward, spinning in the air before planting a solid kick into Brook's chest. A sharp crack sounded, and Brook fell to the ground, dead. Leviathan vanished at once.

Brandi: 1400

Brook: 0

"Good job," Hope said to Brandi.

Brandi glared at her, Rue, Max, and Will. "You all knew she would use Atlantis, I assume."

"Yeah, pretty much," Max replied.

"I hate you all," she grumbled.

Kisara gazed at Brook's corpse sadly. "She only did what she thought was best…"

"But she was going about it the wrong way," Draken said. "We can't do anything to change that."

Kisara only gave a small nod in response.

Zack had been looking down the stairs. "I see no traces of water. She was most likely telling the truth when she said her support cards would go out of effect if she was defeated."

"Let's go back down then," Hope said. "Maybe the door will be unlocked."

To be continued…


	14. Soldier

I apologize for two things. One is the wait, which is now over. The other is how pathetic this duel is going to be. There was absolutely no way to make a duel between these two decks interesting, thus it is the worst duel in the entire arc, if not the entire fan fiction. Just bear with it and better ones will come next time.

**Chapter Fourteen: Soldier**

"What's wrong?" Miles asked worriedly, trying to see the hotel. His vision sharpened for a moment, allowing him to witness what Gen had. "…Did I just… see what I thought I had?"

"If you saw that the hotel was completely filled with water, yes, you did see what you thought you had," Gen replied, staring at the windows doubtfully.

"How did that happen?" Miles said in disbelief.

"We'll find out soon enough." Gen helped Miles to the door and stopped, gazing at it. "A lock… I can get rid of that easily enough."

"But if we open the door, we'll be bowled over by the water," Miles pointed out.

"Yes… so we should try to think of a way to avoid that…" Gen trailed off as he saw the water suddenly vanish from inside the building. "…Um…"

"…That's weird," Miles said. "But convenient. Go ahead and deal with the lock."

"Sure thing." Gen picked the lock swiftly and opened the door. He laid Miles on a damp couch before looking around the area.

He did not have to search for long, because the group emerged into the room shortly.

"Oh good, you're all unharmed," Gen said in relief.

"Gen? How did you get here?" Hope asked in surprise.

"Miles and I were returning and we saw the hotel was filled with water," Gen explained. "It disappeared abruptly though. I unlocked the door and we came in."

"Speaking of Miles, where is he?" Draken inquired.

"Over here." Gen went to the couch that he had put Miles on.

Miles weakly raised a hand to the group. "Hey…"

"What happened to you?" Rue asked.

"Poisoned…" Miles managed to say as his hand fell back to his side limply. "Need Cleanse Magic…"

"I have that," Kisara said softly. She placed it into her Duel Disk, and a soft green glow washed over Miles before vanishing.

Miles sat up. "Worked perfectly. Thanks a bunch." He brought out a Red Potion to use on himself. His wound had stopped bleeding a while ago; hence he had not bothered to heal it until now. "So what happened? You guys first, because I think my information will take a longer time to relay."

"A Judge named Brook attacked us," Will said. "Brandi dueled her and won, which resulted in Brook dying."

"Brook used a Water Dragon deck, and Brandi told the whole world that she hates Atlantis," Draken added.

"Damn straight," Brandi muttered.

"So you beat her just as we arrived?" Gen assumed.

"Probably," Mana answered.

"We had an eventful time too," Miles said. "After meeting up with my contact and getting the information, we ran into an assassin for the Judges who called himself the Gentleman. I managed to beat him in a duel to kill him, despite him hitting me with a poisoned knife first."

"That means we have killed seven Judges," Kazel stated.

"Out of about twenty," Gen said. "Not bad."

"Twenty?" Gaston asked.

"Yeah. Let me tell you what I learned," Miles requested.

"Sure, we're listening," Draken said.

Miles nodded. "Okay. The Judges are vigilantes that take jobs they have interest in. There used to be about sixty members that were all lead by Seiryu. When Teknisk Wereld came up, about forty split away, leaving roughly twenty with him. Apparently, most of the group with Seiryu have agendas against Teknisk Wereld, although a few were tempted by money."

"Brook did say her sister had died here," Will recalled.

Miles shrugged. "The Gentleman seemed like one of the few who was in it for the cash. Either way, the other forty or so don't have anything to do with this. Unfortunately, my contact didn't know who had hired Seiryu and his guys. It also seems that the ones with Seiryu are all good duelists."

"Tough luck for us," Neo commented.

"At least we have a good guess at how many there are, unlike how we fared with all the other enemy groups we have faced," Kazel stated.

"That is true," Will agreed. "We can probably assume that the number is twenty-five or lower. That means we should have, at the most, eighteen more to kill, although I would think the number is more around thirteen."

"And that count includes Seiryu, Kai, Pariah, Alamaru, and Kasmaru?" Brandi asked.

"Not Seiryu, but otherwise, yes," Will replied.

Max crossed his arms. "But now we don't know where to find the next Judge."

"Wait…" Larka looked at Angela. "One of your top priorities is to find people who are trying to delete Teknisk Wereld, right?"

"Correct," Angela replied.

"Could you track one down? Like… sense one, or something?" Larka asked.

"There is a method I can use to find an enemy," Angela stated. "However, it would require me returning to where I had been previously sleeping."

Brandi and Larka glanced at each other, and then Larka said to the group, "Since we know where it is, we should accompany her there-"

Zack cut her off. "No! The last time you went to that area, you were ambushed! What if that happens again?"

"There is a 67.22 percent probability that we will not be attacked," Angela said flatly. "And if we are, there is a 9.59 percent probability of being overcome."

"It's still risky," Zack said. "Maybe if others could accompany you…"

Brandi hesitated, and then said, "Hope and Kisara can come."

"Huh? Why us?" Hope asked while Kisara gave Brandi a surprised look.

"Well, we're going underwater." Brandi rolled her eyes. "You know how some of the guys would react to that."

"Hey! I object!" Rue, Draken, and Miles chorused.

"What about our Soul Monsters?" Hope asked.

"Kazel can come. Sorry Gaston, you shouldn't," Brandi said.

Gaston shrugged and took Malon from Larka, who barked in protest. "I suppose I'll work on restraining him, since he hates it when you leave."

Zack sighed. "I still do not like this… be sure to come back quickly."

"Don't worry, we will," Larka said, smiling at him.

"We'll wait here for you," Draken stated. "So return here after Angela's done."

"Of course," Kazel assured, moving towards the door. "Shall we go?"

"Yeah. I'll lead the way," Brandi said, going outside with Mana. Hope, Larka, Kisara, and Kazel followed her.

"…Back to boredom," Rue sighed, sitting down. Then he said, "Draken, it's still your turn to-"

"I am NOT playing that game again," Draken told him.

"Oh. Darn. How about twenty questions?" Rue suggested.

"…Anything to shut you up," Draken muttered, finally giving in. That, and he was concerned about Kisara. He wanted to get his mind off her leaving.

Max was not as worried about Hope and Brandi. He was pretty confident that they could handle themselves, especially since Brandi was still pretty annoyed by the Atlantis duel.

Gaston noticed that Zack still seemed to harbor doubts. "Relax. I'm sure they'll be fine, especially with Angela there. They also have Kazel and Mana, and they're strong too."

Zack nodded. "Yeah… I just can't help but be worried."

"Well, it shows that you care," Gaston said. "So at least that's something."

"…I suppose you have a point there," Zack replied.

Back in his corner, Will merely turned another page, refusing to listen to the banter of the trio playing word games.

…

"So where are we going?" Hope asked.

"You'll see," Mana said playfully.

"We are walking to the forest… so you did not find Angela in the lake?" Kazel assumed.

"That's right," Larka answered.

After some time, they arrived at the tree that led to the spring, in which Brandi announced, "Here we are."

"I don't see anything besides trees, more trees, and grass," Hope said.

"Take a look at this particular tree." Brandi stuck her arm into its trunk.

"Whoa!" Hope exclaimed as Kisara and Kazel stared in awe.

"This will lead us to our destination." Brandi went inside with Mana. Everyone else came after her, falling into the tunnel. Luckily, Kazel was the last to enter, and she did so once they had moved out of the way.

The walk through the tunnel was brief, and they soon emerged in the spring. The new arrivals were rendered speechless at the sight of the beautiful area.

"Like it?" Mana asked.

"Of course! How could I not?" Hope said. Kisara nodded in agreement while Kazel sniffed the air, her tail fanning the air in pleasure.

"This is a secret area of ours," Brandi said as she went to the spring and sat at the edge, her legs going into the water. Everyone but Angela and Kazel mimicked her. Kazel's tail entered the water instead, and Angela stood a distance away, carefully watching their surroundings. "Mana and I were the first to be here, but when Larka got injured, I took her here to be healed. That's what the spring does; it heals wounds."

"We considered introducing Kisara and Kazel to the spring as well," Larka added. "But we decided to wait until Hope was back."

"It's wonderful!" Hope said happily, running a hand through the water.

"You found Angela here?" Kisara asked Larka quietly.

"Yes," Larka answered. "She was at the very bottom, inside a crystal structure."

"Really?" Kazel stood up, eyes glinting mischievously. "How about I go down and check?" She abruptly took off, flying up, and then dove into the lake at full speed, splashing all but Angela with a huge tidal wave.

"Kazel!" Hope protested with a laugh. "You didn't have to do that!"

But the dragon was long gone, probably to the very bottom of the lake.

"Angela, why don't you join us?" Larka suggested.

"Your previous concerns led me to believe that I should stand guard," Angela replied.

"I'm sure you'll be able to detect danger if it comes," Larka said, patting the ground next to her. "Come on, don't be shy."

"As you wish." Angela sat next to her, copying her position.

Hope gazed at Angela with a trace of sadness in her eyes. "She can't even enjoy this area…"

"I know. She seems human in every way, yet when it comes to emotions, we could not be more different." Larka sighed. "I keep bringing that up, and I keep thinking about it, but I can't see any way around admitting it."

Hope turned her eyes back to the spring. "Well… if anyone can change her, it's you, Larka."

Larka smiled slightly at that. "Thanks."

Kazel burst out of the spring without warning, subjecting them to another drenching.

"Kazel!" Hope exclaimed again as Kisara began to wring out her hair, blushing slightly at her Soul Monster's behavior.

"I saw what you meant," Kazel said to Larka. She slid out of the spring, lying on the rocks with her wings fanned out. "There was a section of the wall caved in that was quite noticeable from the bottom of the lake."

Larka nodded and looked at Angela. "Are you going to try to find a Judge?"

"If you wish for me to," Angela replied.

"I do. Go ahead and do it," Larka said.

"Affirmative." Angela took a hair from her head, which came off easily, and put one end to the ground. It wriggled in her hand before leaping into the ground like it was water.

It was at that moment that an explosion sounded from the trees. Before any of them could react, Angela's hair came flying out to surround them all like a barrier. Another explosion sounded as something hit the barrier, but it was not broken.

"What was that?" Hope exclaimed.

"Damn. I was too slow," they heard from outside.

"We can't see anything like this," Brandi said. "We need to get rid of this barrier!"

"Angela, would you please lower the barrier?" Larka requested.

"Affirmative." The hair whipped away, retracting back into Angela's head.

Standing before them was a woman who wore a navy long-sleeved shirt and pants with a black vest, gloves, and boots. Her dark-brown hair went to her shoulder blades, and her light-brown eyes watched them intensely. Attached to her right shoulder was a huge brown bazooka with a green snake-like object carved into it.

"Not even a Gravekeeper Gunner's weapon can punch through the Guardian's defenses," the woman said as the bazooka vanished. "I suppose dueling really is the only way."

"Enemy detected. Preparing to counterattack," Angela said.

"Angela, don't strike yet," Larka requested. "Let's hear what she has to say."

Angela remained tense, but said, "Affirmative."

"Who are you?" Hope asked.

"My name is Harva, and I am here to take your lives." She pointed at Larka. "Namely, yours."

Larka looked shocked at being singled out. "Me?"

"Unless you might happen to know the location of your brother, you will have to do," Harva stated.

"My brother is not here anymore," Larka said. "But why-"

"Then it is settled. We will duel, and if you refuse, I will take the liberty to shoot you down," Harva declared.

Brandi bristled at that. "Larka doesn't have to duel you if she doesn't want to! You're the one who started attacking us in the first place!"

"Indeed. I see no reason for us to accept your proposition," Kazel said, baring her teeth.

"Hold on." Larka stepped forward. "I will accept."

"What? But Larka…" Brandi protested.

"I'm sure she has a way to combat us. I want to take the path that will not result in any of you being at risk," Larka said.

"And you want to know why she's after you… right?" Hope guessed.

Larka nodded.

"Well… I don't like it… but all right," Brandi said reluctantly.

"Good. We will begin at once." Harva brought out a Soul Card. From it emerged a woman. She wore a green dress with a brown collar and a blue jewel in the center of it. Two white feathers were tied into her brown hair. On her forehead was a purple eye that stared at them, while she kept her other two eyes closed.

"My Soul Monster is Goddess of the Truthful Eye, nicknamed Aseis," Harva said.

Larka winced. "My Soul Monster is elsewhere… I will have to duel without him."

Larka: 8000

Harva: 8000

"Due to not having your Soul Monster, I will let you go first," Harva stated.

"Okay. I lay a monster and a card," Larka said.

"I will start by activating Aseis' Deck Master ability," Harva said. "By discarding a card from my hand-Magic Jammer this time-a face-down magic or trap card on your field is activated. I choose the only card you have there."

"It is my Holy Barrier-Mirror Force… what happens when it is activated?" Larka asked.

"Since it was activated incorrectly, it is shuffled into your deck." Harva waited until she had done that, and then continued. "I summon Dark Hero: Zombire. (2100/500) He attacks your monster."

"My Blade Knight is destroyed…" (1600/1000)

"That means Zombire's effect activates," Harva said. "When he destroys a monster, his attack decreases by 200. (1900/500) He also is not able to attack a player directly. I lay one card down and end my turn."

The card made Larka hesitate, but she said, "I summon Volt Girl. (1900/800) Then I equip her with Shine Castle, to raise her attack by 700. (2600/800) She attacks Zombire."

"I activate my trap card, Curse of Amanojaku," Harva countered. "This reverses the effects of stat increases and decreases. Instead of having Zombire's attack be reduced by 200, it is increased by 200, and your attack is lowered by 700 instead of increased." (1200/800) (2300/500)

The Zombire took the Volt Girl's attack without a flinch and proceeded to tear her apart.

Larka: 6900

Harva: 8000

"Then all I can do is place another card down," Larka said.

"I discard another card, Material Supplier, to activate your card," Harva said.

Larka held the card up to show her. "It's my Emissary of Harmony, which reduces all battle damage to zero."

Harva shrugged. "It is your turn."

"I lay a monster down and end my turn," Larka said.

"I attack your monster," Harva said.

Larka slid it into her Cemetery. "Mirage Dragon…" (1600/600)

"Zombire's attack drops again. (1700/500) I lay a monster and a card face-down. That's all."

"I don't get what her deck is centered on," Hope remarked.

"Judging by the Material Supplier, I'm assuming it's a deck based on a fusion monster," Brandi said.

"Material Supplier?" Kisara asked.

"Yeah. Its reverse effect gets back two monsters that were sent to the Cemetery by a fusion," Brandi explained.

Larka looked at her hand and shook her head. "I pass."

Harva smiled slightly at her cards. "I flip summon my Magic Absorber. (900/900) Next I activate my trap card, Sub-Space Matter Transportation Device. It removes one of my monsters from the field until the end of my turn. I choose Magic Absorber. Then I play my magic card, Fusion. By fusing Zombire and The Marsh Guardian King as a substitute for Magic Absorber, I call forth Final Soldier From Another World!" (2350/2300)

The humanoid that appeared was well-muscled and had browned skin. It had metal shoulder armor, the left one with a gun attached. The right arm had a clawed hand, designed for tearing and crushing. Its red eyes lacked pupils and were glaring at Larka.

"I lay a card and have Final Soldier attack you directly," Harva stated.

The Final Soldier shot out of the gun on its shoulder, hitting Larka brutally.

Larka: 4550

Harva: 8000

"Now let me explain what Final Soldier does," Harva said. "When special summoned, he destroys all monsters on my side of the field, and as long as he is on the field, nobody can summon, reverse summon, or special summon any monsters."

"That means I will have to use magic or trap cards to destroy him," Larka realized.

"Traps will not work due to Aseis' Deck Master ability," Harva pointed out. "The majority of them will not, anyway. As for magic cards… I have my own methods of dealing with those. I will end my turn, which causes Magic Absorber to return to my field."

Larka glanced at her hand worriedly. "I can't work with these… I play Angel's Gift to draw three cards."

"I will not let you," Harva stated. As she did, the Magic Absorber on her field drew in the Angel Gift's power and vanished. "By sacrificing my Magic Absorber on your turn, I can negate and destroy any magic card you play."

Larka's concerned expression vanished as she smiled. "I figured it would have an effect like that. That's why I waited to play this, my Sealing Swords of Light! You cannot attack for three turns now!"

"Not going to happen," Harva retorted. "I activate my Magic Drain to negate and destroy your magic card, unless you can discard another one."

"I won't," Larka said. "Instead, I'll play my third magic card, Theft! I equip it to your Final Soldier, making him my own! He attacks directly!"

Larka: 4550

Harva: 5650

Harva grimaced from the pain the shot had caused. "Are you done?"

"Yes." Larka waited until Harva had drawn, and then said, "On your standby phase, Theft gives you 1000 Life Points."

Larka: 4550

Harva: 6650

"I pass," Harva said.

Larka paused after drawing. "Please tell me… why do you want me to die?"

For a moment, it looked like she would not answer. Then Harva bitterly said, "You and your brother killed many people on that night. You were the one who slaughtered officials. It was your brother that killed the people in the town. One of the victims… was my husband."

"…Oh…" was all Larka could say. She knew her words would not help.

"I was a soldier who fought for my country," Harva spat. "I always thought that I was the only one who had to worry about an early death, that my husband would be safe. Your brother's actions taught me the harsh truth. Death is among us all, and he can strike at any time. Since your brother is not here, I was to unleash him upon you!"

"Larka…" Kisara whispered as Kazel growled. "She… slaughtered officials…?"

"It wasn't her fault!" Brandi snapped. "The full moon caused her and Fell to go crazy. They didn't know how to stop it at the time!"

"It's all right, Brandi," Larka said softly. Then she said to Harva, "I am sorry for your husband, but that does not excuse your actions. You are putting other people's lives at risk for solely revenge."

"No! I am trying to stop others from dying like he did!" Harva shouted. "We have talked long enough! Take your turn!"

"All right… Final Soldier attacks, and I place a card down," Larka said.

Larka: 4550

Harva: 5300

"I set a card," Harva said.

Larka flipped over her card. "I activate Cyclone to destroy it."

"That was my own Holy Barrier-Mirror Force… I cannot do anything else…"

"Final Soldier attacks again, and I am done."

Larka: 4550

Harva: 3950

Harva was covered with wounds now, but she continued to stand straight. "I pass…"

"Attack."

Larka: 4550

Harva: 2600

"This is painful to watch," Hope commented.

"I… I have to pass…" Harva forced herself to say.

"He attacks again." Larka looked a bit sorry as she said that, as if she did not want to prolong the duel this much.

Larka: 4550

Harva: 1350

"…Locked by my own card," Harva said with a short, harsh laugh. "Then finish it. I wanted to take you down, at least, but… finish it."

"I will," Larka answered. "If you really do wish for me to die…" She looked away. "…Kai will see to that."

"I had no idea someone else was after your blood," Harva said. "Maybe I can rest in peace after all…"

"…Final Soldier attacks," Larka said. "Goodbye, Harva…"

The Final Soldier shot her one last time, causing her to fall.

Larka: 4550

Harva: 0

"I cannot leave her here…" Larka went to Harva's corpse slowly; Aseis had vanished upon her death. She pressed the menu button on Harva's Duel Disk and logged her out.

"Larka… are you all right?" Hope asked as Larka returned to them.

"Yes, thanks." Larka glanced at where Harva's corpse had laid. "At least she is with her husband now."

"I hope so," Kisara said.

Kazel gazed at Larka. "Kai is after you?"

Larka nodded nervously. "He came before Crucio… started the torture. I had… killed his brother, in my berserk state…"

"Larka…" Brandi trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"According to what knowledge I have gathered, you are not to blame yourself," Angela stated.

Everyone else turned to her in surprise.

"You're trying to reassure me?" Larka said in disbelief. "I thought…"

"I can reassure you on facts," Angela said. "You might have doubts on what is fact, and that I can help with. Emotional matters are beyond my abilities."

"…Still, you are trying to help," Larka said, smiling slightly. "Thanks."

"I am happy to be of service." Angela put her hand to the ground, and the hair strand came out of it, coiling around her finger before attaching to her head again. "There is an enemy in Sector 8045."

"Where is that?" Mana asked.

"The Snow Lands," Angela stated.

"Ugh… I hate the cold…" Hope groaned.

"It can't be helped," Brandi said. "Let's go back to the hotel and tell everyone about this."

"Yeah…" Hope sighed in a resigned manner as they went to the tunnel to leave.

To be continued…


	15. Shoreline

Irony at its finest. I thought summer would result in more updates, yet I went through it with hardly any. Combine a trip to Spain with breaking a tooth and other miscellaneous things. School starts in one more day (Monday while this is late Saturday). Nevertheless, I have finally got through this annoying chapter and am glad to be back on track.

**Chapter Fifteen: Shoreline**

"A key," Miles guessed.

"There, you got it." Draken gestured towards him. "Go ahead and think of something."

"At least you come up with good ones, unlike a certain axe-man with a funky hat," Miles said, rolling his eyes. "I mean, did you really think we were going to guess your left sock?"

"Nope. That's why I picked it," Rue said with a grin.

"I hope they return soon," Max commented. "So that we don't have to listen to those three much longer."

"And so that I don't have to continue to restrain Malon," Gaston said dryly as the puppy wriggled in his grasp.

Zack glanced at the closed door for what must have been at least the tenth time since they left. "It's been an hour…"

"Angela never said how long it would take her to find the Judge," Will pointed out, not looking up from his book. "We should not jump to conclusions."

"You're right," Zack said. "I suppose I am being paranoid."

"Can't be called paranoia when everyone really is out to get us!" Miles called back cheerfully. Then he said, "No, it's not a tea kettle."

"TAY!" a voice yelled from outside.

"…Don't ask," Miles said before anyone could inquire upon that.

"Then it has to be a coffee maker," Mana said from behind him.

"Yep, that's right-WHOA!" Miles leapt up in shock as everyone else looked to see what the commotion was about. "How'd you get here?"

"Teleportation of course," Mana said, grinning. "I've recovered enough of my strength to be able to use it again." She was careful to not mention that it was the location that had provided her with this energy.

The doors slid open, allowing the rest of the group besides Kazel to enter; she remained outside due to her size. Brandi shook her head at Mana's antics. "Sorry, but she went before I could stop her."

Malon tore himself from Gaston's grip and jumped over to Larka, barking happily. She lifted him and tried to calm him down while the rest of the group got up and went to the doorway.

"You made it back," Zack said, relief evident in his voice.

"Yes," Larka said, smiling. Then she looked away, sadly saying, "We were attacked though…"

"What happened?" Max asked tensely.

"A woman named Harva dueled Larka," Hope said. "Larka won, and Harva died as a result."

"Another Judge gone," Neo commented.

"Did Angela succeed in finding one?" Darche inquired.

"Yes," Brandi answered. "In the snow lands."

"Great," Max muttered. "Seems nothing good ever happens there."

"Nevertheless, that is where we must go," Draken said. "Let's head over now."

Max had to return Tenma to his Soul Card momentarily to get him outside, but other than that, there were no problems. They set off for the lake, Rue remarking, "So we're going to take a ship?"

"I've got one," Miles said. "Don't see why we shouldn't use it."

Larka glanced at Angela. "Angela, do you know anything about this Judge besides the location?" Catching herself, she hastily said, "Er, I mean, about them as a person. Nothing technical."

"No," Angela stated.

"What did you mean by nothing technical?" Rue asked.

"Knowing her, she probably would have told us everything from the Judge being a human to their exact pulse rate," Will said dryly.

"Ah. Good thing she changed her wording," Gen said with a nod.

Brandi sighed. "I'm just glad we have some time to recuperate. We won't find our next enemy until the snow lands, after all."

"Don't be so sure," Miles warned. "We're probably going to be ambushed at least three times before getting there."

"Huh?" Brandi said, blinking. "What do you mean?"

"Come on, it's obvious," Miles said. "We think everything is safe, that there's time to relax, then BAM! An opponent jumps out and assaults us! It always happens."

"Sure it does," Draken said, rolling his eyes.

"Hey, we're clearly the heroes of an adventure group," Miles told him. "So by unwritten law, every difficulty possible must come against us."

"Are you saying we're characters from a story?" Mana said doubtfully.

"Well, we could be," Miles said, shrugging. "Maybe some crazy author decided one day that boredom sucked and countered it by developing us as a party to save a nonexistent world from an invented band of lunatics."

Will smacked him over the head with his book, causing a yelp of pain. "Quit breaking the fourth wall."

"Fourth wall?" Larka whispered to Hope.

"Who knows," Hope murmured back. "I'm not going to ask."

"Good thing Miles' theory is too stupid for even Rue to believe," Draken commented.

"You mean it isn't true?" Rue said. Then he corrected himself by saying, "Er, I mean, who'd believe that moronic idea?"

"Kind of a pity it isn't, or there'd be a lot of readers who would join in with us to laugh at our trio of jokers," Mana said to Brandi softly, causing her to clap a hand over her mouth to prevent laughter.

By this time, they had arrived just before the lake shore. To their surprise, there appeared to be a figure on the dock, too far back to see accurately.

"What'd I tell you?" Miles said.

"We don't know if that is an enemy yet, although we should assume it is for safety," Will said. "He or she must have seen us already anyway, so let's approach."

They descended the slope leading to the dock cautiously. The figure made no movement as they got closer. Halting in front of the dock, they could see that it was a young woman. She wore a light green robe with thin, brown designs stitched on. Her dark brown hair went to her waist, and her green eyes were fixed on them.

"So you have come, beings of this world," the woman stated. "I am afraid I will allow you to go no further though."

At her words, branches suddenly sprang from the ground around the group. Before they could do anything else, Angela's hair whipped out and coiled around them all, effectively stopping them.

"Attack halted," she said. "Preparing to block follow-up attacks."

"I told you guys we'd be assaulted!" Miles said.

"Oh shut up," Rue muttered. "We have bigger problems now."

"That should be enough to prevent the Guardian from instantly killing me," the woman said. "So let us get started. I am Terra, a Judge."

A Soul Monster walked to her side, and at first glance they knew she was responsible for the assault. She wore a dark pink dress with a tiara of light red leaves. Long, pointed ears emerged from her bright red hair, while her matching eyes were slanted narrowly. Her left hand was made of wood while her other seemed normal.

"And this is Jorah, my Soul Monster," Terra said. "No need to drag this out. If you want to move on, one of you must duel me and win. I do not care who."

"Anyone want to volunteer?" Neo asked.

To their surprise, Kisara put a hand to her heart. "I will."

"Kisara? Are you sure?" Draken said worriedly.

"I have been of little help so far," she explained. "Everyone else has dueled, so let me."

"You forgot that I haven't yet," Draken pointed out. "Want me to?"

"Thanks, but it's okay," Kisara said, stepping forward. Kazel went to her side.

"Then we shall start," Terra said. "So you know, Jorah is still capable of attacking. I advise you have the Guardian remain ready to counter that."

Rue eyed the way Angela's hair had secured all of the branches. "That has got to be a pain of a position to stay in."

"Incorrect," Angela stated. "There is no pain at all from doing this."

"Geez, you can't even make figures of speech around her," Miles remarked.

"She will not interfere," Kazel assured. "Go ahead and start playing."

"This will be a death duel," Terra said. "I will take care of the method of how we die. Agreed?"

Kisara nodded and drew five cards. Terra followed suit.

Kisara: 8000

Terra: 8000

"I will go first. After all, I am not native to this game," Terra said. "I summon Giant Rat (1400/1450) and play a magic card, Deep Freeze. Neither of us may play magic or trap cards until my next turn. Go."

Kisara looked at her hand thoughtfully. "I summon Sapphire Dragon (1900/1600) and attack."

The Sapphire Dragon effortlessly tore apart the Giant Rat with his teeth and claws.

Kisara: 8000

Terra: 7500

To their surprise, thorn branches burst out from the ground and began to wrap around Terra's ankles. Blood came out from where they dug into her.

"This is how our penalty will be carried out," Terra stated. "Now, when my Giant Rat is destroyed in battle, I am allowed to special summon an Earth Main-Type from my deck that has 1500 attack or less. I bring out Barrier Statue of Drought." (1000/1000)

"I cannot do anything else," Kisara said, eyeing the branches nervously.

"I lay two cards face down and remove my Giant Rat to special summon Spirit of Rock: Titan." A heavily-muscled, armored man appeared, carrying a huge axe. "The only way he can be brought out is by removing an Earth Main-Type in my Cemetery from the game. That ends my turn." (1700/1000)

"I summon Dark Dragon Hatchling. (800/500) Then I sacrifice him from my field to special summon Red Eyes Black Dragon from my hand-"

"No, you do not," Terra cut off. "While my Barrier Statue of Drought is on the field, only Earth Main-Types may be special summoned."

"Then I have Sapphire Dragon attack your Statue," Kisara said.

"I activate my trap card, Shift Change," Terra said. "It allows me to take an attack, magic, or trap effect aimed at one of my monsters and target another. I will have Sapphire Dragon attack my Titan."

As the Sapphire Dragon changed courses to charge the Titan, he whipped out his axe, cleaving through the Sapphire Dragon completely.

"When it is my opponent's battle phase, Titan gains 300 attack points," Terra explained.

Kisara: 7900

Terra: 7500

Kisara winced as thorn branches came out of the ground and pierced into her skin. Although they were not even wrapped around her ankles yet, the thorns that had made contact still hurt. She quickly recovered from it and said, "I lay a card down and end."

"I activate my trap card, Rock-Throwing Attack," Terra said. She took a card from her deck and inserted it. A maze appeared before condensing into a boulder and slamming into Kisara. The thorns began to tighten around her ankles as Terra said, "By taking a Rock Sub-Type from my deck and discarding it, you take 500 damage. So I chose Labyrinth Wall."

Kisara: 7400

Terra: 7500

"Then I remove it for Gigantes." A giant appeared, roaring. (1900/1500) "My three monsters attack."

Kisara was first smashed into by the Barrier Statue of Drought, then sliced by Titan's axe, and finally smashed by the club Gigantes wielded.

Kiara: 3600

Terra: 7500

The thorn branches shot up at an alarming rate, wrapping around her body until stopping just beyond her waist. She cried out as she was pierced, blood running down the branches from the many punctures.

"Kisara!" Draken exclaimed. Then he said furiously to Terra, "Not native? I don't know what you mean by that! You're playing well enough to be winning!"

"I do not enjoy this game," Terra said. "Nor do I like this world. Not at all. So many people are abandoning the real world for this fake thing. I will destroy it, so that the true world will not be neglected.

"This is a world too!" Hope protested. "It may be a virtual one, but that doesn't mean it's fake!"

Terra shook her head. "You speak foolishly. I will remind you of why Earth is so much more important… by overpowering you with your own pathetic game. My deck is based around Earth Main-Types. Perhaps it will clear things up for you. Now go."

Kisara shakily drew. "I summon Lord of Dragons-Dragon Ruler. (1200/1100) He attacks your Barrier Statue of Drought…"

One swift punch caused the Barrier Statue of Drought to crumble.

Kisara: 3600

Terra: 7300

Terra hardly seemed affected as the branches rose up her legs a bit. "Is that all?"

"No… I play Dragon Calling Horn," Kisara continued. "When Lord of Dragons is on the field, I am allowed to special summon two Dragon Sub-Types from my hand. I bring out two Red Eyes Black Dragons." (2400/2000)

"Impressive," Terra said. "But not good enough. I play Gaia Power. This field magic card increases all Earth Main-Types' attack by 500 and lowers their defense by 400." (2100/600) (2400/1100) "Gigantes attacks your Lord of Dragons."

The Lord of Dragons did not stand a chance against the Gigantes' huge club. He was flattened instantly.

Kisara: 2400

Terra: 7300

Kisara managed to not cry out this time, reducing it to a mere whimper as the thorns dug into her chest. Terra finished by saying, "I lay one card down."

"Damn… I should have been the one to duel…" Draken said worriedly.

"She's not done yet," Brandi said. "Just watch."

Kisara took a moment to calm herself before drawing. "I lay a monster in defense…"

"And I activate Acid Pit Trap," Terra said. "If your monster has 2000 defense or less, it is destroyed."

"Doublecoston…" (1700/1650) The monster fell into the pit, perishing.

"Now what?" Terra inquired.

"Your Gigantes… does he have an effect?" Kisara asked.

"Yes, actually. Besides only being able to be special summoned by removing an Earth Main-Type, when destroyed in battle, he destroys all magic and trap cards," Terra said.

"Then I activate… Metal Conversion-Magic Reflex Armor," Kisara said, flipping over a trap card. Her Red Eyes Black Dragon became covered in shiny metal. "Then I sacrifice him to special summon… Red Eyes Black Metal Dragon from my deck."

With a flash of light, the Red Eyes Black Metal Dragon stood before her, completely transformed. (2800/2400)

"He attacks Gigantes…"

The Red Eyes Black Metal Dragon spat out a huge, black fireball that caused the Gigantes to explode. The nature scene given from Gaia Power burned away with him.

"Then Red Eyes Black Dragon destroys your Titan…"

With a screech, another fireball was loosened, this one red. The Titan was wiped away in the flames.

Kisara: 2400

Terra: 6500

Terra bit her lip as thorns wrapped around her legs. "I… I pass…"

"My dragons attack again," Kisara said, gaining strength from the knowledge that she had the advantage. The two fireballs hit heavily.

Kisara: 2400

Terra: 1300

This time, Terra could not help but cry out as the thorns covered her chest and part of her arms. She clenched her free hand tightly and drew with the other one. "I special summon Fleet-Footed Gilazaurus. (1400/400) And I special summon another. When I choose to special summon them, you get to bring one monster from your Cemetery for each and special summon them."

"I take Sapphire Dragon and Doublecoston," Kisara decided.

"It doesn't really matter. I sacrifice both of my monsters for Ultimate Tyranno," Terra said.

A snarling beast emerged, covered in black scales and spikes. Standing at least three stories tall, it was a fearsome sight. (3000/2200)

"When entering my battle phase, Ultimate Tyranno is forced to attack all of your monsters before I do anything else," Terra said. "So I go in this order: Metal Dragon, Black Dragon, Sapphire Dragon, Doublecoston."

The Ultimate Tyranno swiftly and savagely ripped through his victims with his teeth.

Kisara: 1600

Terra: 1300

Kisara flinched from the thorns digging into her arms. Drawing her next card caused pain to flare through her body, making it difficult to concentrate. "I lay a monster down and end…"

Terra seemed far more confident now. "I summon Charging Swordhorn Beast. (1400/1200) Ultimate Tyranno destroys your monster."

"Lord of Dragons…" Kisara said.

"Charging Swordhorn Beast attacks directly." The dinosaur crashed into Kisara, jarring the agonizing branches.

Kisara: 200

Terra: 1300

The branches were up to Kisara's neck by now. Every time she breathed, agony flared through her. With her arms and hands covered, it was immensely difficult to move them. When she tried, tears of pain sprang to her eyes.

"Kisara, hang in there!" Draken encouraged, despite his concern. "You're not defeated yet!"

His words had a beneficial effect. Kisara forced herself to draw and place the card in her Duel Disk. She tried to speak, but only succeeded in a small noise that sounded like a drowned-out cry.

"She is done," Kazel supplied, her tail waving through the air anxiously.

"Fine. I summon Sabersaurus. (1900/500) Then I attack with Ultimate Tyranno."

Kisara hurriedly flipped over Emissary of Harmony.

"Oh well. I suppose I will finish by activating Jorah's Deck Master ability," Terra concluded. "By sacrificing Charging Swordhorn Beast and Sabersaurus, my Life Points increases by their combined attack. I can only do this with two monsters and once per duel, but it is helpful."

The thorns reduced down to her lower waist as a soft, healing light appeared from the two sacrificed monsters.

Kisara: 200

Terra: 4600

"Not good," Gaston said. "She needs to draw something good this turn."

The rest of the group was silent, but their expressions told that they agreed with him.

Kisara winced as she drew, and then inserted the card and placed two more on her Duel Disk. One was a Red Eyes Black Dragon while the other was a black sphere with wiggling red tentacles coming out of it.

"She is using Fusion," Kazel said, looking relieved. "Using Red Eyes Black Dragon and Fusion Sealed Life Form-Dark, which acts as a substitute. She is bringing out…"

A dragon appeared, one that Will and Neo recognized from their dealings with Flame Buster. Will said, "Meteor Black Dragon…" (3500/2000)

"Whoo! Kisara's got her now!" Neo said happily.

The Meteor Black Dragon's fireball engulfed the Ultimate Tyranno, leaving nothing behind.

Kisara: 200

Terra: 4100

Kisara laid a card down as Terra grimaced from the thorns. Seeing her give a small nod, Kazel said, "Your move."

Terra had no hand, but the card she drew was one she instantly put down. "Now it will end-"

Kisara activated her face down card. The Cyclone swept away Terra's card.

"My… my Rock-Throwing Attack…" Terra closed her eyes. "I'm finished…"

"You are," Kazel said, stepping onto the field. (2400/2000) "Unlike you, we will not draw out your suffering."

The last thing Terra saw in her life was two fireballs; while the first was bigger and more powerful, the second burned her far deeper.

Kisara: 200

Terra: 0

The branches moved up to end around Terra's head and tightened around her whole body. Then they disappeared, leaving her corpse to hit the ground. Another bunch of branches sprang out and swiftly pierced Jorah, causing her to vanish. The ones Angela had been holding back left too, as did the ones Kisara had been caught in. Without their support, she fell back.

Luckily, Draken was swift enough to catch her before she hit the ground. Helping her lay down gently, he brought out some Red Potion cards and inserted them. "Just hold on, you'll be all right in a moment…"

"Talk about a close one," Gaston said.

"She did well though. We should be able to move on," Will said.

"I can't believe he still denies they're in love," Rue commented as he watched Draken assist Kisara in drinking the Red Potions.

"Does anyone else think it's funny that she wiped out a dinosaur with Meteor Black Dragon?" Miles said. "Seems like the dinosaurs really did get killed off by them."

Rue's eye twitched. "You should be shot for that."

"Things that should be so often aren't," Miles said with a grin.

"Unfortunately," Brandi muttered.

By this time, Kisara's wounds were healed completely. Draken helped her up, saying, "How do you feel now?"

"Fine, thank you," Kisara said, smiling reassuringly.

"Then we're good!" Miles took out a card, and a Skull Red Pirate Ship appeared. Pulling a gallant pose, he said, "Onwards, Defrosted Tuna Team!" Before anyone could react, he leapt onboard.

"…Defrosted Tuna Team?" Draken said, echoing all of their thoughts.

"I'm going to take a leaf from his book and say: don't ask," Gen said dryly.

To be continued…


	16. Burial

First day of school was not bad. The way things look now, I might not get as much homework as I feared. I hope.

**Chapter Sixteen: Burial**

Once everyone was onboard, they departed from the dock with Miles steering. The weather was clear, and the waters were calm, making the going easy. Comforted by the pleasant atmosphere, the group was able to relax, grateful for the brief respite.

The only one who did not seem to care for the quiet was Angela. She said, "Awaiting new orders."

"Oh… um… why not just rest?" Larka said. "I mean, I know you don't have to, but you can anyway, right?"

"To rest would be an inefficient use of time," Angela said flatly. She then added, "I will do so if those are my orders."

"Well, if that's really what you want to think… why not go up there and keep a lookout?" Larka suggested, indicating to the crow's nest. "Tell us if you see any signs of land, ships, or possible threats."

"Affirmative." Angela's hair whipped up and secured around the edge of the platform. Before the watchers could react, she leapt straight up, and landed neatly on the platform.

Rue whistled, looking impressed. "How does she do it?"

"Don't let her hear you say that, or else she will probably give you a lecture on just how," Gaston advised.

Neo had sat down and was leaning against a mast while shivering. "Hate… water…"

"Oh come on, it isn't that bad," Darche said.

"Not for you, maybe, but I'm a being of fire now," Neo pointed out.

"I am afraid that there are those that cannot stand traveling by water. I am one of them," Gen said with a sick expression.

Miles snorted. "I can't believe you came from my soul. How can you not love sailing like this?"

"Why do you enjoy it so much?" Hope asked.

"The answer is simple," Miles said. "Right, Rue and Draken?"

"Don't you know it," Rue said as the duo joined him.

Miles proceeded to say, "Because we are…"

"Men! Of! The sea!" they chorused, posing.

"…Remind me to smack them when we get to shore," Brandi muttered to Mana.

"Why not now?" she inquired.

"I don't want to leave us without a steersman; if I'm not careful, they might get knocked out," she said, rolling her eyes. "Men of the sea… where do they get their idiotic quotes from?"

"I for one do not wish to know," Zack said, closing his eyes.

"Indeed. Leave them to be the comedy of our group," Will commented while reading.

"You're still buried in a book?" Rue said as he and Draken rejoined them and Miles went back to the wheel.

"Obviously," Will replied.

"Don't you get seasick by reading?" Gen said.

Will turned a page. "No."

"Straight forward and to the point, just like he should be," Gaston said to Hope. "I can't imagine him any other way, you know?"

"Same with everyone here," Hope said, smiling. Then she asked Max, "How far away are the snow lands? The only time I traveled there was when we found Amy there, and those were in smaller, faster boats."

"It shouldn't take too long," Max stated, shrugging. "I tend to avoid them myself. Just not my favorite area."

Any possibility of continuing the conversation was cut off when Angela leapt down, landing neatly on the deck. "There is a disturbance here. If not dealt with immediately, there is a 95.75 percent chance that we will be overcome."

"Overcome? By what?" Draken asked.

There was no chance to respond. Before any of them could react, the ship suddenly dropped, sending them into darkness.

…

Angela's voice was what brought them around, as she recited, "No problems detected. Efficiency has not been changed. Awaiting orders."

"Ow… what happened?" Rue asked, sitting up and rubbing his head.

"I'd like to know that myself," Draken said.

Hope warily looked around the cavern they had fallen in. It was fairly large and empty. Above them, there was a circle of the ceiling cut out, which had water covering it. Why the water was not falling into the cave, Hope had no idea.

"Is everyone all right?" Larka asked.

Rue took off his soaking hat and wrung it out. "It seems we went through the water; maybe we lost the ship or something. Don't know how that came about though."

"Water? Hm… how are you doing, Zack?" Gen said.

"Not badly. We must not have been in it very long," Zack said, examining the buttons on his wrist for signs of damage.

"How about you, Neo?" Gaston asked.

"Pain…" Neo moaned.

"Hang on, I have something that we can use to dry ourselves off." Draken inserted a card into his Duel Disk. A red glow surrounded him momentarily before fading. Satisfied with the results, he inserted others to have the same beneficial effect on his companions. "That's called Boiling Blood. Works better than any towel."

As it turned out, he had exactly ten. Glancing at the Soul Monsters apologetically, he said, "Sorry, but we need to make sure our Duel Disks don't rust or something."

"Aren't they waterproof?" Rue said.

"I'm not sure, so let's not take chances. Sorry Angela, you're going to have to be excluded too," Draken said.

"I do not require being dry. My efficiency is not lowered by it," Angela said.

"This place…" Brandi said.

"Do you know anything about it?" Max asked.

Brandi nodded. "This is where I dueled Aurora. It seems like such a long time ago…"

"I remember it too!" Mana declared. "After we won, we were lifted right out! But there's no opponents here this time, so what do we do?"

"Enemy detected," Angela said.

"What? Where?" Darche said.

His question was answered when a noise came from the shadows, which sounded like a combination of a constant hum and moan. The spine-chilling sound took effect instantly. Boney hands burst out of the ground around them, and skeletons pulled themselves out as if the earth was not there to hinder them. They lurched upright in a circle around the group.

Miles blinked. "Zombies?" He reached to his Duel Disk readily. "Okay, STARS units, let's get ready for combat."

"This is so not Resident Evil," Draken muttered.

"Either way, they aren't friendly," Max said. "Let's get rid of them and find the source of that sound."

"Affirmative." The rest of the group did not even have a chance to move before Angela struck, piercing all of the skeletons with her hair through their chest area. They dissolved upon contact, returning to dust.

"Yeow," Rue said, blinking. "I'd hate to be on the end of that."

More skeletons emerged, but they did not attack. The sound abruptly ended as two figures stepped out of the shadows.

One of them was a woman with a dark purple robe that had black trimming. Her black hair went to her waist, and her eyes were dark brown. The other was apparently her Soul Monster, who looked like an old hag. She had a light gray robe and hair that was dirty silver, most likely from age. Her eyes were nearly slits from how she kept them closed, making it hard see them very well.

"We are at a deadlock," the woman said. "Dueling seems to be the only way around this."

"Who are you?" Hope asked.

"My name is Sheba, and I am a Judge," she replied. "My Soul Monster, Elda, is a Soul Caller. She can bring out as many undead as I wish."

Hearing this, Will leaned over to Max and whispered something to him. Max blinked, and then smirked before saying, "All right, we can settle this conflict with a duel. If we win, we will be taken out of here, right?"

"Yes. The loser dies," Sheba stated.

"Okay. Rue, you duel her," Max said.

Rue stared at him. "What? Why me?"

"Yeah, shouldn't I be doing it?" Draken pointed out.

"I have a feeling that you will do better against her," Will said.

"You can have the next Judge, Draken," Max added.

Rue shrugged. "Well, whatever you say. Can't be that bad." He stepped up, Ruecian with him. "Ready whenever you are."

"Is that really why you wanted him to duel?" Hope asked Max softly.

"You'll see in a moment," Max said.

Rue: 8000

Sheba: 8000

"Since you went and attacked us, I'm going first," Rue declared.

"Very well," Sheba said.

"I lay one monster in defense and a card down. Do your worst!" Rue said.

Sheba merely placed a card down delicately. "I summon Wight." (300/200)

Rue stared blankly at the skeleton clad in a purple robe as it appeared. "You have to be kidding."

"What? That pathetic thing? Why is it even in her deck?" Brandi said in disgust.

"…You knew she used these, didn't you?" Rue said to Max, his eye twitching.

Max grinned. "I guessed it after Will pointed out that Soul Caller's card has her bringing out a Wight."

"I hate you both. So much. First Intruders, now freaking WIGHTS," Rue spat, turning back to the field.

"Now I don't feel bad about passing on dueling her," Draken said with a grin.

"I place three cards down," Sheba said, not commenting on their reactions to her monster.

"I activate Cyclone on the first one you laid!" Rue said, flipping his card over.

"Gravity Bind," Sheba stated as the winds tore it apart. "Done."

"Whew, glad that's dealt with," Rue remarked. "And for once, I think I can do this correctly. I flip summon Saint Magician (300/400) to get back Cyclone, and then play it on the second card you laid."

"Crowd Tactics." Sheba still did not seem concerned by her losses.

"Now I'll summon Doublecoston (1700/1650) and lay a card down. I don't like leaving Saint Magician out like this, so she attacks Wight!"

"I activate my trap card, Death With Honor," Sheba said. "By sacrificing a level two or lower normal monster, up to two magic or trap cards on your field are destroyed."

"Ugh… there goes Magic Cylinder," Rue said with a sigh. "In that case, Saint Magician attacks, as does Doublecoston."

Once the Saint Magician smacked Sheba over the head with her staff, the Doublecoston hit her with dark energy.

Rue: 8000

Sheba: 6000

In response to Sheba's Life Points going down, skeleton hands came out of the ground, latching onto her legs. Observing the watchers' looks of shock, she calmly said, "This is the way the loser will die. You will be dragged down to join my family."

"Your family?" Rue said.

"My parents, older brother, and older sister used to come here as well," Sheba said. "I went on my own one day, not wanting to join them in the canyons. I was later told that they had been murdered, by a man wishing to make it a cemetery."

Rue grimaced. "No way… you don't mean…?"

"Probably Morte," Will said, shaking his head.

"My resolve has hardened since then," Sheba stated. "I will prevent others from dying to the lunatics that reign in this world. If you must be defeated to do that, so be it." She slid a card into her Duel Disk. "I play Magic Experimentation Room. It costs 800 Life Points."

Rue: 8000

Sheba: 5200

Ignoring the skeleton hands grabbing her, she said, "I pick up the top four cards on my deck and special summon any level three or lower normal monsters." She glanced at the four cards. "I have a Wight, and place it in defense. The other cards are shuffled back in. I summon Demon-World Familiar and attack Saint Magician." (1600/600)

Rue: 6700

Sheba: 5200

Rue flinched as the skeleton hands grabbed him. "This is going to be a pain…" He regained his confidence as he saw the card he drew though. "I sacrifice Doublecoston for Black Magician! (2500/2100) Since Doublecoston counts as two sacrifices for a Dark Main-Type, it works. Black Magician attacks your Demon-World Familiar!"

Rue: 6700

Sheba: 4300

With hands clutching her up to her waist, Sheba said, "When sent from the field to the Cemetery, Demon-World Familiar allows us to select a level three or lower normal monster from our decks and put it into our hands. I get my third Wight."

"I can't get anything," Rue said. "So go."

"I summon that Wight and play Thousand Energy," Sheba said. "This increases all level two or lower normal monsters' stats by 1000." (1300/1200)

"…Oh no?" Rue said, blinking.

"I end my turn." Both of her Wights exploded. "Thousand Energy destroys the monsters it affected at the end of the turn it was played."

"…Well that was pointless," Rue said. "Black Magician attacks directly."

The black magic attack would have probably knocked Sheba back, had the hands not been holding her in place.

Rue: 6700

Sheba: 1800

By now, the hands were covering her chest. Her voice was a bit breathless as she said, "I play Angel's Gift, drawing three cards and discarding two. I discard two Wight Kings. I lay a monster down and end my turn."

"Wish I had another monster," Rue commented. "But as it is, Black Magician attacks yours."

"Critter. (1000/600) When sent to the Cemetery, I get a monster from my deck with 1500 defense or less and put it into my hand. I choose Killer Tomato." Sheba shuffled her deck.

"Your turn," Rue said.

Sheba placed her card promptly. "I summon my final Wight King to the field." (/0)

Rue's eye twitched as he watched the grimmer version of Wight appear. "What's the catch?"

Dark energy came from the ground, causing the Wight King to grow in size. "He gains 1000 attack for each Wight and Wight King in the Cemetery." (5000/0)

"…Oh JOY," Rue said sarcastically. "I can tell this won't be pretty."

"I equip him with Optical Camouflage Armor," Sheba continued. "It can only be given to a level one monster, and it allows the monster to attack directly. He does so."

The Wight King vanished, reappearing in front of Rue. Its sharp, boney fingers pierced into Rue deeply, causing him to gasp in pain.

Rue: 1700

Sheba: 1800

More hands shot out of the ground, grabbing his chest. Rue managed to say, "I feel so _violated_."

"You're getting whipped by a monster based off one of the weakest ones in the game," Draken said, snickering.

"Shut up! I'll take it down!" Rue swiftly inserted a card. "I play Thousand Knives! When played with Black Magician on the field, I destroy one of your monsters. Say goodbye to Wight King!"

The Wight King was sliced into with several knives. He vanished into black energy. But the liquid-like blackness became solid again, forming the Wight King.

"I used Wight King's effect; by removing a Wight or a Wight King, he is special summoned to my field," Sheba explained. (4000/0) "Normally this only works in battle, but Elda's Deck Master ability allows me to use it with anything."

"…Time for Plan B!" Rue announced. "I play Early Burial on Saint Magician!"

Rue: 900

Sheba: 1800

"Oh get off," he spat at the hands as they grabbed his arms. "Anyway, now I use Double Magic! By discarding a magic card-Black Magic Curtain this time-I get to take a magic card from your Cemetery and use it. I'm choosing Optical Camouflage Armor and equipping it to Saint Magician! Then I lay a card down and play Power of Magicians! This raises her stats by 500 for every magic or trap card I have! (1800/1900) She attacks directly to end the duel!"

The group watched in amazement as the Saint Magician's staff blow nearly caved Sheba's head in.

Rue: 900

Sheba: 0

"So… I have lost. Maybe… I will find them again…" That was all Sheba was able to say before the hands seized the rest of her body and pulled her under the ground. Elda met a quick end in the same manner. The ones holding Rue vanished.

"That was not fun," Rue grumbled, rubbing the area of his arm where he had been gripped.

"Do you still think Wight is the weakest card in the game?" Hope said teasingly.

"Hey, my statement was perfectly justified when I told you that before!" Rue protested. "Besides, the Wight themselves still sucked. It was just Wight King that was some kind of hacking card."

"We are never going to let you forget this," Miles said, grinning.

"I somewhat wish you had lost," Draken said in mock seriousness. "So I could write on your tombstone, 'Here lies Rue Klaus, tragically deceased after a devastating battle with a Wight…'" He quickly ran as Rue charged at him.

"Either way, that's that," Max said, ignoring the chase. "How do we get back up?"

"There is an 80.06 percent probability that inserting the card would bring back the ship," Angela said.

"Sheba did say we would be taken back up if Rue won, and I doubt she was lying," Larka said.

"True. Give it a try," Brandi said.

"Sure thing." Miles placed the Skull Red Pirate Ship back into his Duel Disk.

Without warning, they found themselves back on the deck outside. Seizing the opportunity, Draken leapt to the side and let Rue keep running forward with full momentum.

"What the-DARN YOU DRAKEN!" Rue yelled as he went over the side and into the water.

Kazel sighed and flew down, grabbing Rue with her tail and flinging him onto the deck. She settled down on it and folded her wings, saying, "All hands on deck."

"Back to our usual way of life," Gaston said dryly, watching Rue leap up and continue running after Draken.

Larka sighed. "Maybe it is wrong of me, but I felt sorry for Sheba. It was like she hid her emotions from us…"

"I know what you mean. However, she was willing to kill us. There was little we could have done," Zack said.

Larka nodded. "There was not any other way in that circumstance. But I feel some regret."

"Hopefully she's found some happiness," Hope said. "Along with all of the other Judges that had tragic pasts. It's depressing, hearing about all of the pain Teknisk Wereld has brought."

"Real life is no better," Max said. "We cannot let a few past occurrences affect our judgment on Teknisk Wereld too harshly."

"Right…" Hope fell silent, as did her friends, pondering over the reason for this conflict.

To be continued…


	17. Charges

Happy Halloween! To celebrate this holiday that I did basically nothing on, I have finally finished this chapter that was actually planned out a while ago.

My updates have been rather slow, but I hope to finish this arc before next year. The main reason I have been so slow is that I am working on another writing project. It is for Teknisk Wereld, and it will be posted later, but not now. I will explain why at a later date.

Anyway, onwards!

**Chapter Seventeen: Charges**

The ship had made good progress. Miles noted that they were about half-way there, which was not quite enough for the two Soul Monsters that despised sea-travel. Everyone else accepted the news and continued what they were doing.

"As much as I like traveling by sea, I wish we'd get there already," Rue complained, having given up his chase on Draken a while ago.

"I don't," Hope said, shivering at the mere thought of their destination. "I hate the cold."

"It's only until we deal with the Judge anyway," Gaston said.

"That doesn't reassure me much," Hope muttered.

"So I guess I'll be facing the one in the snow lands," Draken assumed.

"You said the next one, so most likely," Brandi agreed.

"Unless we come across another Judge beforehand," Zack said.

"Oh come on, what are the chances of that happening?" Mana said.

"Knowing our luck, very high," Gen commented.

"We've run into two people, all we need is one more for my prediction to be right," Miles said.

While they were talking, another conversation was occurring nearby. Floating beside their ship was a small raft, with a certain troublesome duo on it.

"You got the bomb, Kasmaru?" Alamaru asked.

"Right here," Kasmaru replied, producing it. "It's got a long enough fuse so that we should be able to get away before it goes off."

"Good," Alamaru stated. "Put it over there, in the middle."

"…Alamaru, if someone sees it, they can just dispose of it," Kasmaru pointed out. "I suggest we put it in a well-hidden spot like over-"

"Shaddup Kasmaru, I'm in charge here!" Alamaru declared, snatching the bomb and lighting it in one swift moment. Before Kasmaru could protest, he tossed it onto the deck. "Let's go!"

Max had been leaning against a nearby railing, nobody else nearby, when the bomb suddenly landed next to him. He blinked at it, saying, "What the…" and then nonchalantly kicked it, sending it off the ship.

Coincidentally, the bomb happened to land right in the middle of the raft. As they stared at the short fuse in horror, Kasmaru said, "Uh, Alamaru?"

"W-what?" Alamaru stammered.

"You are such a-"

The bomb exploded, sending pieces of the raft flying everywhere. Alamaru and Kasmaru went sailing away and crashing into the water with yelps.

"…Did I just hear an explosion?" Gaston asked, sounding startled.

Max came up to them and shrugged. "Probably just a large wave. What's the situation like?"

Angela, who was in the crow's nest and thus had not heard what happened below, said, "Enemy detected. Approaching from the sky."

"What'd I tell you?" Miles said triumphantly, leaving the steering wheel to join everyone else.

"It is not good that your prediction came true," Kazel pointed out.

"Will commence attack in ten seconds." Angela's eyes focused on a black figure that was steadily approaching.

"Going to let her do it?" Max asked Larka.

Larka hesitated, and then nodded. "The Judge would want a death duel with us. That means he or she would have to be killed in the end. If we can avoid another conflict, it would be for the better."

"Indeed," Will said.

They turned their attention back to Angela, who shot forth several strands of hair. They made contact with the figure, which was now a short distance away from the ship. A screech was heard, and then it fell, spiraling from the sky. The bird-like creature nearly came all the way down before vanishing, leaving a person to leap off its back and land on the deck. Angela reacted swiftly, vaulting off the crow's nest to attack from above. The person rolled aside hurriedly and inserted a card halfway into his Duel Disk. "Halt your attack! If you continue, your entire ship will be ripped apart by my Tempest!"

Realizing that even if Angela killed him, he would probably instinctively slide in the card as his last act, Larka said, "Angela, stop! We can't risk it!"

"Affirmative." Despite this being the fourth time Angela was being ordered to stand down against the enemies she was programmed to kill, she did as asked. Larka was secretly relieved; if Angela had possessed any kind of emotions, she would surely have given in to frustration by this point.

Since he was not under the threat of an immediate attack, the man stood upright. He wore a black jacket over a white shirt and black pants. His sandy hair was short and tangled, and his beard unshaven. His dark brown eyes glared at them, settling on Draken as he said, "You! I knew you would be with them!"

"What are you talking about?" Draken asked, genuinely confused.

The man began to slowly pace, moving his arms rapidly and snapping out his words. "The silver-haired bringer of death… the one who caused the town to be lost amongst blue flames… the one who laughed at the screams and charred bodies of innocents… who else could it be but you?"

Draken stared at him in disbelief. "You were there?"

"Was I there? If only I were so fortunate!" the man said with a bitter laugh. "I would have tossed you into the very flames you gave birth to! But no, I was not. All I got were official accounts of what had happened… and a news story that killed the bit of light my heart had."

"What is he talking about?" Miles said.

"Did you not hear it?" the man raved. "The one name they actually gave out, the one whose body you defiled… Mary-Elizabeth, the one I loved, was your victim!"

"That… girl…" Draken trailed off, memories that he had tried to push aside for so long reforming in his mind.

"Draken?" Kisara asked softly. "Did you really…?"

"He's a murderer! And who would be with one like him except for other killers?" he spat. "General of Hell, you called yourself? Then let me send you to your master, the devil himself! Be sure to tell him Set was the one who ended your slaughtering spree!"

Set held out a Soul Card, causing a monster to appear next to him. Almost like a large, humanoid dog, it had a short green top, armor at its waist, gauntlets, and a headdress. The cloth at his waist and cape he wore was purple, and the katars he carried gold. His green eyes narrowed as he growled.

"If you want to avoid having Haren, my Jackal Paladin, tear you apart… I suggest you take up my offer to duel, murderer," Set said, pointing at Draken.

"…I guess I don't have much choice," Draken said quietly, stepping forward.

"You don't have to agree to what he's saying!" Rue protested, worried in spite of himself. "We know you aren't like that anymore!"

"The fact remains that I did kill people though," Draken answered. "Besides, I said I would duel the next Judge."

"...Fine. Don't go dying," Rue grumbled.

"Draken?" Kisara said.

Draken looked away. "I guess I didn't really tell you much about the incident, did I? I don't blame you for hating me for that. It was weak of me to hide it."

Kisara shook her head. "No, I do not mind. It is as Rue said; you are not like that anymore."

Despite the situation, Draken managed to smile. "Thanks. Ready, Darche?"

"Always," Darche said, stepping next to him.

Draken: 8000

Set: 8000

"I'm going first," Set declared. "I lay a monster and a card, and then activate Time Capsule!" A coffin appeared on the field. Set took a card from his deck as he said, "I take a card and remove it from the game. On the second standby phase I have after activating it, I receive the card I chose. Take your turn!"

"All right, I'll start by summoning Sapphire Dragon (1900/1600) and attacking," Draken said.

"I'm halting him with Book of the Moon!" Set countered. "Your Sapphire Dragon is flipped into face-down defense mode."

Draken shrugged. "Oh well. I lay a card down and end."

"I flip over my monster, Locust Soldiers! (1000/500) They destroy one magic or trap card when reverse summoned," Set explained.

"Great, you killed my Magic Cylinder," Draken said, tensing slightly.

"My Locust Soldiers can return to face-down defense once per turn, so I will have them do so," Set concluded.

"At least they aren't strong," Draken stated. "I summon Lord of Dragons –Dragon Ruler- (1200/1100) and flip Sapphire Dragon up. Lord of Dragons destroys Locust Soldiers, and Sapphire Dragon attacks directly!"

The Sapphire Dragon tore at Set, but it did not seem too severe.

Draken: 8000

Set: 6100

"Wait! He didn't set a death duel condition, did he?" Miles realized.

"Strange," Zack said. "Judging by his earlier behavior, one would think he wants Draken to die."

"That gives us even more reason to be cautious," Will stated.

Set began his next turn. "This is my second standby phase, so I get my card from the Time Capsule." The coffin disappeared from the field. "I lay two cards down and end my turn."

"This is probably a trap, but I can't resist," Draken said. "I play Dragon Calling Horn!" A horn appeared in the Lord of Dragon's hand, and he blew into it. Two Blue Eyes White Dragons appeared at the noise. (3000/2500) "I can special summon up to two Dragon Sub-Types in my hand with that if Lord of Dragons is on the field."

"I have you!" Set said triumphantly. "I activate my trap card, Descending Ceiling! This is the card I got from Time Capsule, and how useful it is. When there are four or more monsters on the field, all face-up monsters are destroyed!"

"That wasn't very smart of me," Draken muttered as his four monsters were crushed to death. "Not the end of the world though. I activate a magic card, Early Burial! By paying 800 Life Points, my Blue Eyes White Dragon returns!"

Draken: 7200

Set: 6100

"He attacks you directly!" Draken said.

"Time to activate my second trap, a permanent one called Traveler's Riddle!" Set announced. "I have four cards in my hand. Pick one and call monster, magic, or trap. If you're right, the attack goes through normally. If not, your monster returns to your hand!"

"That would suck." Draken concentrated on the cards he was being offered. "Hm… second card to your left, monster."

Set showed him reluctantly. "You were right. It was my Poison Mummy."

The Blue Eyes White Dragon's white lightning hit Set dead-on, causing him to stagger.

Draken: 7200

Set: 3100

"Curse you… and your flames of Hell…" Set growled. "I lay a monster down."

"This might hurt, but I have to try," Draken said. "I attack with Blue Eyes. Card to your very left, magic."

"Wrong!" Set said, revealing it. "It's a trap card, Curse of Anubis!"

Draken frowned slightly as his Blue Eyes White Dragon vanished. "Not much I can do about that. I lay a monster, and I'm done."

"First I flip summon Poison Mummy, (1000/1800) activating his reverse effect! You lose 500 Life Points," Set said.

Draken: 6700

Set: 3100

"Then I sacrifice him for a defense monster, lay a card down, and end my turn," Set said.

"I'm not liking that monster… I'll lay one of my own," Draken decided.

"Not like it matters!" Set laughed bitterly. "I flip over Guardian Sphinx! (1700/2400) When reverse summoned, all of the monsters on your field are sent to your hand! I also summon Swarm of Scarab Beetles! (500/1000) They both attack you directly!"

This was the first direct attack that had actually caused Draken to feel pain. The Guardian Sphinx swung a heavy stone paw at him, catching him across the chest. The Beetles were more irritating than agonizing, but they did not help matters.

Draken: 4500

Set: 3100

"They both have the ability to be flipped back down, so I do that before ending," Set said.

"I'd better get rid of that monster if nothing else is possible," Draken said. "I summon Spear Dragon (1900/0) and attack, calling monster on the card to your very right!"

"You guessed correctly," Set said in disgust, showing his Royal Bodyguards before shuffling his hand around. "But I won't let you get away with an attack! I activate my trap card, Curse of Anubis, to stop you! It switches all face-up effect monsters on the field to defense mode and makes their defense zero for the turn!"

"What a change," Draken said sarcastically. "I lay a card down and end."

"Once more, I flip over my Sphinx," Set began.

"And as you do, I activate Destruction Ring!" Draken declared. "Your Sphinx is destroyed, and we each lose 1700 Life Points!"

"Afraid not," Set retorted. "Haren's Deck Master ability takes care of that. When I reverse summon a monster, it cannot be affected by trap cards for the turn."

"Drat," Draken muttered, flipping the Destruction Ring back down. "Okay, Spear Dragon returns to my hand. Anything else?"

"I flip my Scarabs and have both monsters attack!" Set said.

With his wounds accumulating, Draken nearly fell over at the heavy blow the Sphinx delivered. He managed to straighten as his Life Point counter decreased.

Draken: 2300

Set: 3100

"They return to their face-down positions, and I'm done," Set said.

"So just what kind of deck is he using, an Egyptian one?" Rue asked.

"…You just noticed?" Hope said.

"No! I… um… didn't think to ask, that's all," Rue said, eyes shifting.

"Sure you didn't," Miles said with a grin. "But yeah, Egyptian all the way. No idea why though."

Set heard his comment and responded. "Mary loved history, especially when centered around Egypt. I made this deck to duel her to see her reaction." His eyes flashed as he turned to face Draken. "You can't begin to understand what she meant to me! Hurry up and take your turn so that I can make you pay for what you did!"

"Maybe that's what I do deserve, but I'm not going to lie down and let you walk all over me," Draken said. "I have a lot to live for now, and if wasn't for your group, I might have never had to kill again! As it is… I summon Spear Dragon and attack your Sphinx, calling monster on your second card to the right!"

"Royal Bodyguards again…" Set said, his Sphinx appearing. "You were hurt by that attack though!"

Draken: 1800

Set: 3100

"Yeah, and this'll hurt me even more, but I don't have much choice at this point," Draken stated. "I activate Destruction Ring on your Sphinx!"

"Damn it!" Set exclaimed as the ring of grenades appeared around the Sphinx's neck. The grenades exploded, sending rocks zooming through the air. Both duelists were hit a good amount of times.

Draken: 100

Set: 1400

Draken swayed and would have fallen if Darche had not grabbed his arm to offer support. Shaking his head to clear it, Draken said, "Thanks… I lay a card down and end."

"You're cutting it close!" Rue called to him. "Keep this up and you'll have Kisara die of worry!"

"Thanks for the encouragement!" Draken responded. Rue's words did hold a bit of truth though, for Kisara did look deeply concerned, as did most of the group.

"You may have gotten rid of my Sphinx, but I have other monsters to use!" Set said. "I sacrifice my Scarabs for Jackal Spirit Knight! (1700/1600) He attacks your Spear Dragon!"

"Congratulations, you killed my zero defense monster," Draken said once the Jackal Knight pierced his Spear Dragon.

"It has a bigger use than that," Set stated. "Look at my field!"

To Draken's surprise, the Spear Dragon appeared on his side in defense mode. "How did that happen?"

"When my Jackal Knight kills a monster in battle, it comes to my side of the field in defense mode!" Set said. "What'll you do about that?"

"Get rid of Spear Dragon before you destroy me with it," Draken said. "I summon a Sapphire Dragon and attack Spear Dragon! I'll call monster on the card to your right."

"Incorrect! It's another trap, Light of the Sands," Set said with a smirk. "Anything else?"

"Afraid not," Draken answered.

"Then prepare to meet my strongest monster! I sacrifice both of the monsters on my field for Jackal Paladin!" (2700/1200) Set announced. The copy of Haren appeared, snarling viciously. "He attacks you to end the duel!"

"You shouldn't make assumptions so easily," Draken said, flipping his card over. "I activate Attack Nullification to halt your attack. My turn?"

"Yes," Set said reluctantly.

Draken sighed in relief at the card he drew. "That's a big help. I summon Knight of White Dragon! (1900/1200) Then I sacrifice him to special summon a Blue Eyes White Dragon from my deck!"

"Are you going to risk attacking?" Set said, looking slightly nervous.

"Normally I wouldn't, but with this card, yes," Draken replied. "I play Stomping Crash to destroy your Traveler's Riddle and make you lose 500 Life Points. Now that I don't have to worry about that anymore, my Blue Eyes attacks!"

The blast cut through the Jackal Paladin easily. He gave a mournful wail before vanishing.

Draken: 100

Set: 600

There was a harsh irony to seeing his strongest monster fall victim to the same attack that had caused his loved one to die, which explained why Set was shaking with fury. "I lay a monster and a card. Go!"

"I summon Sapphire Dragon," Draken said. "Time to end this duel. Sapphire Dragon attacks!"

"I can't use Curse of Anubis on your non-effect monsters," Set snarled. "You destroyed my Royal Bodyguards…" (1600/1700)

"My Blue Eyes finishes the duel!" Draken declared. His dragon gave a final roar and shot out its deadly strike, knocking Set to his knees.

Draken: 100

Set: 0

"No… I swore… I swore I would avenge her!" Set cried, shakily standing.

"You've lost," Draken said, his expression clouding. "Leave it at that. I'm not who I used to be; I don't like to kill now."

"Hah! Like I'll believe that!" Set pointed at Draken wildly. "Haren! If we're doomed, we'll at least take as many of the murderers as we can! GET THEM!"

Howling, Haren rushed forward. Draken's hand went to his deck, but he was too tired from the duel to react swiftly enough. He would have been skewered, had not Rue leapt in the way with a Demon Axe. He slashed at the Soul Monster, forcing it to leap away.

"It won't end like this!" Set yelled, rushing towards them.

"Stay back!" Rue demanded, knowing his words would be of no use. That was why his feet were already carrying him towards Set, ready to deal the final blow to keep him from attacking Draken. Closer, closer, until they were only a few feet away.

What was heard next was not the singing of metal though. It was a deadly whistle that pierced the air. A purple spear of hair drove straight through Rue in an instant, barely slowing as it went on to stab Set through the heart.

To be continued…


	18. Weapon

As amazing as it is, I have succeeded in getting another update up quickly! The next one may not be so lucky, seeing as I will be with my dad this weekend. But I do get a shortened day Wednesday, along with Thursday and Friday off, so not all hope is lost.

For the record, this chapter holds another incident that really happened to me. Guess correctly to win an internet cookie.

**Chapter Eighteen: Weapon**

Time seemed to pause as the group stared in horror at the scene. Both fighters remained frozen, unable to move from the tendril thrust through their chests. Not a sound broke the unearthly silence spread on the ship. No screams, no cries, not a moan of pain.

Then the spell was released with the murdering implement. The hair whipped backwards, leaving both bodies to collapse. An agonized roar followed as Haren vanished; it had taken that long for him to realize his concealed Soul Card had been torn along with his master. None looked at his fading form though. All of their eyes were on Angela, with her bloody purple strands of hair returning to their usual length, except for one pair. Ruecian was at Rue's side in an instant, placing a hand to his shoulder. No response occurred to the gesture.

"Target eliminated. Returning to normal mode," she said emotionlessly, not appearing to notice she was the source of attention.

Angela's voice triggered a reaction from Draken. "Rue!" Still weakened from the duel, but urged by his friend's condition, he ran to the body and fell to his knees beside Ruecian, grabbing Rue's wrist. A moment passed. Another. And another.

"That can't be," Miles said numbly. "He's Rue… he can't just… die like that…"

Draken dropped his arm, stricken. "I told him his gallantry would get him killed! Why did you have to interfere, you idiot? Why…?" he trailed off softly. Ruecian merely shook his head.

"Angela…" Larka said in a daze. "Angela, do you realize what you have done?"

"I have eliminated one of the assigned targets," Angela answered.

"At the price of our friend's life!" Larka exclaimed. "Why did you kill Rue? You could have attacked Set without hitting him!"

"Doing so would have resulted in a 1.04 second delay," Angela stated. "That would have given the target enough time to make an attack, one that might have hurt you or destroyed this ship."

"But… the chances of that are so low!" Larka said in disbelief. "Even if that was the case, it isn't worth having Rue die!"

"Aren't you supposed to protect the people in Teknisk Wereld?" Miles demanded. "This should be going against your program then!"

"The elimination of enemies to Teknisk Wereld and the protection of the substitute takes priority," Angela said. "My program instructed me to use the method that had the higher percent chance of each."

"That's not right!" Larka cried. Her voice went to a whisper as she said, "He was our friend… how can you act so calmly about killing him?"

"You forget, I am not human. I am merely a weapon," Angela said flatly. "Data formed to protect Teknisk Wereld. To further my efficiency, I was never given emotions."

"I can't… accept that…" Larka said, eyes misting.

Another silence filled the atmosphere, until a sudden snarl broke it. "Oh for hell's sake, who killed him _this_ time?"

Draken jumped backwards in shock while Ruecian moved back to allow Rue to stand. For the first time Hope had seen in seven years, his eyes were blood-red.

"Error; the subject should be dead," Angela said. "Identifying a new subject. Analyzing…"

"Demon Rue!" Hope said in surprise. Then she caught herself, saying, "Er… Mephistopolis, wasn't it?"

"Right on the second try. I suppose that's good enough," Mephistopolis said, eyeing his chest in disgust. "I see that a certain someone decided to freaking spear him this time. Do you know how sick I am of patching this moron up? I'll have you know that replacing his blood and organs is not fun! This is the fourth time I've had to save him; if he keeps doing this, I'm going to let him die permanently!"

"Four times?" Kisara said in amazement.

"Let's see… once when Satan killed him, once when Fell killed him, now… I'm missing one, aren't I?" Gaston said.

"Juno took the liberty of cleaving him," Mephistopolis said sourly. "Although in that case, I was the one who actually provoked it, so I can only really complain about three." He sighed and placed a hand over the wound. Dark energy began to seep into it, slowly repairing the area. "He's lucky I still need his body."

"Analysis complete. Subject is an unknown specimen," Angela stated. "Unable to identify as friend or foe. Standing by for orders to attack if necessary."

"He's… a friend… I think…" Draken said, appearing unsure.

"Let's just call him a foend and leave it at that," Miles suggested.

"That's so funny that I think I'll leave his lungs pierced so I can't die from laughing," Mephistopolis said sarcastically. "The small problem of being able to breathe ruins that idea though." He removed his hand, revealing no trace of wounds. "He'll live now."

"You seemed a bit more willing to help this time," Hope said.

Mephistopolis shrugged. "I don't think so, but maybe. He did spend his years out of the virtual world on a journey to adapt to living with me, after all."

"What? He never mentioned that to us," Gaston remarked.

"I don't care to recall; ask him some time," Mephistopolis said. "At least this gives me an excuse to have some fun. It's been too long since the last time I was released."

_It's not like I willingly loan out my body,_ Rue grumbled.

"_Ah, you're awake,"_ Mephistopolis replied. "_Now be a good little host and shut up for a while. Just because I healed your body does not mean you should emerge yet."_

_Yeah, yeah, I know,_ Rue said irritably.

"Fun? Great. We all know what that means," Brandi muttered.

Miles suddenly grinned. "You're in the mood for killing someone?"

"Sure, why not, been a while since I was allowed to," Mephistopolis answered, as if they were discussing what to have for lunch rather then planning a murder.

Draken caught on to what Miles was suggesting. "We've been having a heck of a time with Judges, and one is supposed to be in the destination we're headed towards. Want to take him or her down?"

"Sounds enjoyable," Mephistopolis said with a smirk.

Max looked over the ship's side. "Coincidentally, we're nearly there."

"Oh great," Hope muttered, shivering.

Mephistopolis removed the deck from Rue's Duel Disk and looked over it. "This won't do." Dark energy surrounded it, vanishing shortly. "There."

"Before we arrive, if I may make a suggestion…" Will said. "Larka, I advise giving Angela a new order. If the victim of that attack had been anyone but Rue, that person would be long gone."

"Right." Larka turned to Angela. "Angela, I am ordering you to not hurt any of these people, no matter what. For that matter, you're not to hurt anyone that is not an enemy."

"Affirmative," Angela said.

"You'll obey that order?" Larka asked to ensure that she understood.

"Unless ordered otherwise, I will," Angela confirmed.

"This proves more than anything that we have to be careful of the way we word things around Angela," Will stated.

The group was silent in agreement, until Miles said, "Hey, isn't this the first time Meph and Ruecian have been in the same location?"

Ruecian tilted his head at the question, and Mephistopolis said, "Call me Meph again and I will eat your liver. As for your question, even if that was the case, which it isn't, what about it?"

"I just noticed. It seemed significant or something," Miles said sheepishly.

"You may as well stop talking," Draken advised.

Once the ship had drawn up alongside the bank, they disembarked, and the ship vanished. Hope instantly groaned at the change of temperature and wrapped her arms around herself in a vain attempt to keep warm. Neo and Gen, on the other hand, were very grateful to be on land, snow or not.

"This one's going to be mine," Mephistopolis said, his red eyes glinting. "If you want to complain about it, hair freak, call it compensation for killing my host."

"Uh… he's talking to you," Neo said to Angela.

"I have orders to eliminate all enemies to Teknisk Wereld," Angela stated.

"Angela, it's okay this time," Larka said. "Let Mephistopolis handle it."

"Affirmative," Angela answered.

"We should start walking," Zack said.

"I hate the cold…" Hope grumbled as they went on.

It was only a few minutes later when a barrier suddenly sprang up in front of them. They heard a woman's voice shout, "Hah! You may have thought you could slay me easily, but I took precautions and blocked you! What now?"

"…We never attacked," Draken said.

"…Oh." The barrier fell, revealing a woman wearing a brown fur coat. Her blonde hair was cut short, and her blue eyes had lost their triumphant flare. "Drat. Here I thought I'd done well."

"You're a Judge?" Gaston assumed.

"Of course! And I was hired to eliminate your silly group. The price is rather good," she said. "I'm Lexine, and I'm going to kill all of you!"

"This is a perfect example of why I enjoy killing people," Mephistopolis said in disgust. "You aren't even worth wasting my energy on, considering all of the pathetic barriers you have set."

"W-what? Did you read my mind or something? You weren't supposed to know I had those ready to use!" Lexine exclaimed.

"…You're carrying a stack of cards in your hand," Miles said.

"…Oh." Lexine slid them away. "Fine then! Let us do this properly then, with a duel!" She held out a Soul Card, and a monster wearing thick, silver armor appeared. He carried a huge shield with a gold symbol, a short sword with a wide blade, and had two more swords on his back in purple sheaths. His short hair was black and his squinting eyes were brown. "And I will be helped by my Soul Monster, a General of Impenetrable Defenses, Murus!"

"All the more fun. It should be easy to rip apart your stall deck," Mephistopolis stated.

"You even know my deck type! How?" Lexine said.

"…Every card you've played, and your Soul Monster, points to that being your deck type," Max said.

"…Oh." Lexine turned on her Duel Disk. "But enough on that! We shall begin!"

"Whatever," Mephistopolis said, doing the same.

Mephistopolis: 8000

Lexine: 8000

"I'm going first because I deserve to!" Ignoring Mephistopolis' look of disbelief, she drew a card and said, "I lay one monster down and play a field magic card, Soothing Song! It raises every defense monster's defense value by 500! Then I play Magic Gardner, giving it a counter! Try destroying it now!"

Hearing a song coming from around them that sounded angelic, Mephistopolis muttered, "What a disgusting card."

"And I end by playing Toll! If one of us attacks, the attacker loses 500 Life Points! Just try and stop me now!" Lexine said.

"Oh, I won't try. Rather, you will die a horrible, painful death…" He trailed off as he saw the card he drew. "…But not this turn. Because as much as I hate to, I am going to summon Kuribo." (300/200)

Lexine stared at the tiny monster that appeared and let out its cute cry. "I didn't think you were like that…"

"Just shut up and go," Mephistopolis growled.

"If he hates Kuribo so much, why did he put it in his deck?" Neo asked.

"Isn't it obvious? He secretly adores the darling little fuzzball," Miles said, snickering.

"Don't make me come back there and show you how much I adore your lot," Mephistopolis snapped, not turning to face them.

"Touché," Miles muttered.

"I lay one monster in defense mode," Lexine said.

Mephistopolis shrugged. "Not much to do yet. I summon Skilled Black Magician (1900/1700) and end."

"I lay another monster and dare you to attack!" Lexine cried.

"A dare? How childish," Mephistopolis scoffed. "Why not do this a more entertaining way? I sacrifice both of my monsters to summon Black Magician!" (2500/2100)

The Black Magician that appeared in front of him was an odd but formidable sight. Unlike Rue's Black Magicians, which were purple, and Gale's, which were blue, Mephistopolis' Black Magician had red armor, tanned skin, and silver hair. He smirked at the surprised Lexine.

"What? I didn't know he used Black Magician too!" Draken exclaimed.

"Now you know," Mephistopolis said shortly. "But he is not the monster my deck is centered around. No, it is this being that it now focuses on. I sacrifice Black Magician to special summon Black Executioner!" (2500/2100)

The being that appeared looked similar to Black Magician, barring a few major differences; his armor was dark purple, his skin blue, and staff's end had become a three-pronged, purple device with a blue sphere in the center.

"Oh goody, another Black Magician monster," Miles muttered.

"Hey!" Mana protested. Ruecian shook his head.

"You won't defeat me with that!" Lexine said. "I activate Murus' Deck Master ability! By paying 500 Life Points, none of my monsters can be destroyed in battle! I have to skip my next battle phase, but it's worth it! How're you going to get past that?"

"…I was not going to attack," Mephistopolis said.

"…Oh. Well then."

Mephistopolis: 8000

Lexine: 7500

"If that's how you're going to be, I'll sacrifice my Big Shield Guarder (100/3100) for General of Impenetrable Defenses! (1550/3000) When summoned or reverse summoned, he immediately goes to defense mode! Then I play Sealing Swords of Light to stop you from attacking for three turns! You can't win now!"

Mephistopolis rolled his eyes. "Idiot." As the glowing swords appeared, the Black Executioner pointed his staff at Lexine. A black blast hit Lexine hard.

"What was that?" she yelped.

"Every time one of us plays a normal magic card, you lose 1000 Life Points," Mephistopolis stated. "Done?"

"I guess so…" For the first time, Lexine appeared a bit uneasy.

Mephistopolis: 8000

Lexine: 6500

"This is what I've been waiting for," Mephistopolis said with a sadistic grin. "I summon Repeating Blast Magician! (1600/1200) Then I play Torture Room of Nightmares! A pity it is a permanent magic, and thus will not hurt you, but it has a valuable use."

"What is he trying to do?" Larka wondered.

Catching her comment, Mephistopolis said, "For the ones who are clueless on these cards, allow me to explain. Black Executioner does 1000 damage per normal magic card played, Repeating Blast Magician does 400 per normal magic card I play, and Torture Room of Nightmares deals 300 Life Point damage when the opponent loses Life Points in a method outside of battle. Now tell me, what do you think would happen if I were to use a normal magic card that did direct damage?"

"This isn't going to be pretty, is it," Miles assumed.

"For the opponent, correct." Mephistopolis smirked as he inserted a card. "That is why I am playing this card, Magic Blast! It does 200 damage for each Magic User I have on the field, so 400 in all. A little math lesson: 1000 plus 300 plus 400 plus 300 plus 400 plus 300 equals pain. In more specific terms, it also equals 2700 damage."

Lexine screamed as she was first hit by the Magic Blast, and then the two monsters bombarded her with enhanced magic, causing her to be knocked onto her back and into the snow.

Mephistopolis: 8000

Lexine: 3800

"You can't do that!" Lexine protested, standing up.

"…I just did," Mephistopolis said.

"…Oh. Um… I pass," she said nervously.

"Pathetic, but I wasn't expecting much from you," Mephistopolis said. "I'll skip my draw phase to take Magic Blast from the Cemetery, since it allows me to do that. Then I play it!"

Lexine was knocked back once more from the vicious attacks, bleeding in several locations.

Mephistopolis: 8000

Lexine: 1100

"And to end it, I play quite an ironic card." Mephistopolis showed it to her before inserting it. "Angel's Gift. Your escort to the afterlife will be the complete opposite of what you find. Have fun in Hell!"

The blasts that slew the Judge and her Soul Monster were almost loud enough to drown out Mephistopolis' horrific laughter. Almost.

Mephistopolis: 8000

Lexine: 0

"How entertaining, especially after such a long wait!" Mephistopolis said, smirking.

"Ouch, that looked like it hurt," Gaston said, wincing.

"Was it really worth coming all the way out here to get rid of that stupid Judge?" Neo said. He glanced at Will, who had put a hand to his head. "What's wrong?"

"Another vision," Will said, removing it. "Of Mephistopolis killing her. That was it."

"Flattered," Mephistopolis said.

_Okay, you've had your fun. Can I come out now?_ Rue said, sounding exasperated.

Mephistopolis frowned. "Oh, fine. I suppose I'm done for the moment. You can have your friend back." His eyes closed, and when they opened, they were brown once more.

"Welcome to the land of the living," Draken joked. "How do you feel?"

"Like I just got over a caffeine high," Rue said, making a face. "Better than I thought I'd be though."

Draken shook his head. "You had us scared for a minute. No more saving me, got it? Do that and I'll either kill you for good, or hunt you down in the afterlife and do it there."

"Talk about gratitude," Rue said, rolling his eyes. "If you're going to be like that, I'll just let you get slain next time." At these words, he slowly edged away from Angela.

"Twelve Judges dead now," Will stated. "We know of Seiryu, Kai, Alamaru, Kasmaru, and Pariah, so there's probably at least three Judges we've never seen. Could be as many as eight though."

"At least we're over the half-way point," Hope said. "Most likely, anyway."

"Should we halt for now?" Zack asked, glancing at the sky, which was beginning to darken.

"Yeah, it's getting late," Darche agreed. "When and where should we meet up?"

"Not the hotel; they already know we were there," Max said.

"Somewhere warm!" Hope pleaded. "How about the canyon? That's the exact opposite of this place!"

"I guess that works," Rue said. None of them appeared to disagree.

"At nine, as we did today," Will said. "See you then."

They all proceeded to log out, Angela holding on to Larka's Duel Disk.

…

"Back at last," Hope said, sitting up and detaching her equipment. "It'll be nice to relax for a while."

"You said it," Brandi agreed.

"Actually…" Max stopped, his expression one of hesitation.

"Yes?" Hope asked.

"Um… Wouldyouliketogoonadate?" Max said in a rush.

Hope blinked. "Sorry, I didn't understand that. Could you please repeat?"

Face reddened, Max repeated, "W-would you… erm… like to… um… go on… a-a date?"

There was a pause, and then Brandi and Mana abruptly doubled over, laughing hysterically. That did not make Max feel much better; he covered his face with his hands, clearly embarrassed.

Luckily for him, while Hope was also amused, she had enough pity to not add to the din. "I'd love to!" she managed to say over them.

"Great, let's go," Max said shortly, leaping up and running for the door. Hope took advantage of his absence to laugh for a moment before saying, "See you guys later!" and following him out.

"I am not sure I understand what is so funny," Gaston commented to Tenma. The only response he received was a soft growl.

"Oh my God…" Brandi managed to gasp out, breathless from mirth. "I've never seen Max so flustered!"

"No kidding!" Mana covered her mouth to prevent herself from starting again.

"Anyway, we should be getting back to Matt's," Brandi said to the two Soul Monsters. "See you tomorrow."

"Right," Gaston replied. Tenma growled in response.

When they went outside, they saw Max's car had already left. They proceeded to Matt's door, and Brandi reached out to open it. Before she could, someone grabbed her from behind, causing her to give a small yelp of surprise. She knew who it was without even seeing him though; only one person would do such a thing.

"Matt!" she said, looking at him.

Matt grinned at her reaction. "Hey. I decided to come home early to celebrate the good news."

"Oh, you mean…" Brandi self-consciously put a hand to her stomach. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

"Nah, it's okay," Matt said. "Remember that you're talking to the guy who waited a year to finally propose."

That got a laugh out of Brandi, which encouraged Matt to ask her, "By the way… how was it?"

Brandi held up five fingers, causing him to blink. "That good?"

"No, that's how long you lasted," Brandi stated.

Mana cracked up as Matt slumped over in depression. "Suddenly, I don't feel like celebrating any more…"

…

"So where are we going?" Hope asked curiously. Max had not yet told her their destination.

"Look ahead and you'll see for yourself," Max replied.

Hope did so, and sighted a large sign that said Olive Garden. Pleasantly surprised, she said, "Wow, you picked my favorite restaurant!"

"It's mine too," Max said, more at ease from seeing her eagerness. "That's why I chose it."

Once Max had found a spot in the crowded parking lot, they waited roughly forty-five minutes before finally being seated.

"That's the only thing I hate about Olive Garden," Hope commented, looking at the menu absentmindedly. "The long waiting times are a pain."

"How I agree," Max said.

When the waitress came for their drink orders, Max requested raspberry lemonade while Hope asked for cranberry juice. Once she had left, Max remarked, "Do you drink anything besides that and water?"

"Orange juice and lemonade. Otherwise, no, not really," Hope said sheepishly. Trying to get off the subject of her picky eating habits, she said, "Anything in particular you wanted to talk about?"

Max shrugged. "How about you pick a topic?"

"Well, how have the past seven years been?" Hope asked. "What were you doing over them?"

"I mostly stayed in Teknisk Wereld once I was allowed in," Max said. "As Brandi said, I became the arena champion of sorts. Just didn't have much else to do with my time. Oh, and Mom was having me take care of Chasity," he added, seeming slightly annoyed. "Said I should so that I'd learn some responsibility… for when I have kids of my own."

The implications at that caused both to blush, but Hope picked up the conversation. "I focused mostly on my school work and am currently in my second year of college. In my free time, I've been writing."

"Writing?" Max said, surprised. "I wasn't aware you liked writing."

"I found I had a passion for it shortly after being cut off from Teknisk Wereld," Hope explained. "I want to have a certain novel I'm writing now be published one day."

"You'll show it to me, right?" Max asked with interest.

"If you want to read it, I'd be happy to," Hope said, smiling.

Their conversation was rudely interrupted when the waitress came back and tried to deliver their drinks. The lemonade made it to the table safely, but the juice met an unfortunate end from her haste and wound up spilling onto Hope, leaving her shirt and jeans soaked.

"Thanks," Hope growled, clearly annoyed.

"I'm very sorry," the waitress recited as she cleaned up the table, not sounding particularly woeful about the accident.

"Is that all you can say?" Hope said, folding her arms in irritation.

"What more do you expect me to do?" the waitress said.

"Deducting a reasonable price for a cleaning bill from our meal would help," Max said, smiling slightly from amusement at how Hope looked.

The waitress hesitated. "You would have to talk to the manager to-"

"Then tell him to come out here so I can give a highly glorified account of the incident," Hope snapped. "Or just tell him what happened yourself if you don't want me leaving such a negative note on your record."

Scowling, the waitress said, "I'll tell him and bring a replacement. Your orders?"

Once Max had asked for chicken parmesian and Hope for spaghetti with meat sauce, the waitress left in a huff. Hope sighed and remarked, "At least I won't have to deal with these clothes for too much longer tonight."

"You actually care about your clothing now?" Max asked, his eyebrow raised.

"Nope, the dampness just annoys me," Hope answered. "I didn't care about fashion the last time we were together and that hasn't changed."

Max laughed at that. "Some things don't change."

"Yeah." Hope left off at that, for the waitress had returned with her drink and a basket of breadsticks. That was their cue to dig in.

A few minutes later, Hope inquired, "Do you have a job?"

"I make money off the coliseum fights," Max said. "You?"

"No, but I might try to get some short stories published soon or something," Hope said with a shrug. "Don't know yet."

Neither of them mentioned the Judges or the crisis Teknisk Wereld was facing. Both found it nice to be away from such problems, even if it was for a short time.

Once they received their food and ate, they remained for dessert (Max having white chocolate raspberry cheesecake while Hope took vanilla ice cream) and asked for the bill. Hope was pleased to see her meal was not being charged for. Max paid for his and they left, taking the two mint chocolate pieces they were given with them.

"Hope you enjoyed it, aside from the waitress problem," Max said.

"Yes, thanks for inviting me," Hope said. "Are we going back now?"

"Not quite yet, if you don't mind. There's one other place I'd like to take you," Max said.

"Sure," Hope answered, getting in the car while trying to avoid soaking the seat. Max also went inside and backed out, driving towards their next destination.

…

Rue looked around the plains cautiously. Seeing nobody but Ruecian at the moment, he continued forward.

He had not gone very far before someone said beside him, "Shouldn't you not be here?"

"YIKES!" Rue jumped, turning towards the voice. He relaxed when he saw who it was. "Geez, don't scare me like that!"

"Couldn't resist," Miles said with a grin. "But really, why are you in Teknisk Wereld again? If there's Judges around, we could be in trouble if alone."

"I couldn't relax," Rue admitted. "Claire's condition is the same, and until she comes out of that coma, I'm not going to be able to breathe easily. What about you?"

"Miles wished to see if any other areas had been deleted," Gen stated.

"That sums it up," Miles confirmed. "Angela's doing a good job at keeping it stopped though, from what I've seen."

Before Rue could reply, the four group members suddenly saw red eyes staring at them from the tall grass.

"AH! DEMON!" Rue exclaimed, inserting a card and grasping the Demon Axe that produced. He ran towards the grass and slashed at it.

There was a yowl as a black shape leapt out of it, dodging the attack. It hissed and bolted, soon gone.

"Congratulations, you tried to chop apart a cat," Miles said sarcastically.

"Hey, it looked suspicious!" Rue protested.

"That was a Black Cat That Brings Unhappiness," Gen observed. "Why was it here?"

Rue blinked. "Hope mentioned seeing one of those on her first day in Teknisk Wereld. I told her they were said to bring terrible luck. Remember that, Ruecian?" Ruecian nodded.

"Weird that we'd see one now," Miles said. Then he looked at the sky. "Hey, there's something up there."

Rue followed his gaze and sighted two dark shapes that he was familiar with. "That's a Blue Eyes White Dragon, and I'm betting the other one is Kazel. What're Draken and Kisara doing here?"

"Let's follow them and find out," Miles suggested.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Gen murmured as they went.

The dragons landed at the top of a mountain. Rue glanced at it and said, "Time Capsule?"

"Time Capsule," Miles agreed. "I'm not up to climbing this thing."

Once the four of them had landed near the top, they hiked a short ways up and hid behind a couple of rocks, glancing out from around them.

Draken and Kisara stood on the edge of the mountain, gazing at the cloudless sky. The Blue Eyes White Dragon and Kazel were still flying; apparently Darche was on the Blue Eyes. Rue was about to walk out and hail the duo, but Miles held him back, whispering, "Let's see what they're up to."

"Kisara?" Draken said hesitatingly. "There's something I wanted to ask you."

She tilted her head. "Yes?"

"I've been living with you for a long time, and you've never complained about it, but I have to ask… are you sure you don't mind?" Draken asked.

"I have never minded," Kisara answered. "Ever since my parents died in a plane crash, Kazel was the only companion I had. You changed that, and I am very grateful."

"I didn't know that was how her parents died," Rue muttered.

"Kinda ironic she likes flying so much," Miles whispered back.

"I'm glad to hear that, because… you've changed me too," Draken admitted.

"Huh?" Kisara said.

"To be honest, I never gave romance much thought," Draken said. "But when you woke up from that attack, when I started talking to you… Well, I'll be honest. That was when I first had feelings of that sort. It's been six years, and I never said anything because I'm an idiot. You nearly died today though, and that's gotten me to realize that I shouldn't hold back my emotions any longer. Kisara… I love you."

"Draken…" A tear fell from Kisara's eye.

"Did I say something wrong?" Draken asked nervously.

Kisara shook her head, smiling at him with misty eyes. "I hoped you felt that way, because I feel the same. I was too scared to ask…"

"Scared? Of what? You don't have to be scared when talking to me," Draken said. "I love talking to you, so when you have something to say, don't hold back."

Kisara nodded, not responding.

Rue and Miles had been holding their breaths at hearing this. What the pair did next shocked them out of that though, for Draken slowly embraced Kisara and drew her into a kiss. At this, the mischievous duo stared, then turned to each other and yelled, "OH MY GOD!" before leaping off the mountain. Ruecian and Gen sighed and carefully started climbing down.

Kisara drew back in alarm at the shouts, effectively interrupting the first kiss they had. Draken's eye twitched once he recognized the two voices. "If they survive that, they are going to die a horrible death tomorrow."

…

"I never expected to have you take me to an archery field," Hope said later as they walked down the beach.

"By learning to use the weapon you had, I thought maybe I'd be able to connect with you better," Max replied.

"You certainly knew what you were doing, even more so than I did. Thanks for the tips you gave me," Hope said.

"No problem." Max gazed at the bright crescent moon in the clear night sky. "Mind if I ask something?"

"Not at all," Hope answered.

"What are you going to do when we've defeated the Judges?" Max said. "Are you going back to Illinois?"

Hope shook her head. "I can't do that. If we're separated again, you could die. Besides, I vowed to leave Illinois permanently at my first chance. I wasn't sure of where to go at first, but by the time I was banned from Teknisk Wereld, I decided on South Carolina, because that's where you lived."

"That relieves me," Max admitted. "I assume you'll want to go back to get your things, but after that, you're welcome to stay at our place."

"Your parents won't mind?" Hope asked. "You won't?"

"They'd be delighted," Max said. "Mom and Dad really do like you. And of course I don't mind. What kind of a question is that? I've been waiting for a long time to be able to even ask you that."

"Then I'd be happy to accept, thank you!" Hope said. She looked at the sea as she added, "We've been through a lot. I just want this to be over, so that we can live the rest of our lives in peace."

"So do I," Max said quietly. "So do I."

…

"Is something troubling you?"

Larka snapped out of her silent state and managed to smile at Zack. "Nothing beyond what everyone else is worried about. I might take a while to fall asleep, but don't let that keep you awake. You should rest."

"I do not mind waiting for you," Zack said.

"Really, I'm fine. You're here, after all," Larka assured. "That's enough for me."

"If you say so. Good night." Zack pressed a button on his wrist, shutting down at once.

Larka slowly rose, taking care to not disturb him, and walked towards Angela, who stood by the door. "Angela?"

"Yes?" Angela answered.

"Why weren't you given emotions?" Larka asked. "You have other things to blend in with humans, like your appearance and your name. But why not emotions?"

"Emotions are often a great weakness," Angela stated. "To further my efficiency, I was created without them."

"But surely you must have some," Larka protested. "What about your creator? You know you have to protect him, right?"

"Those are orders. I have no concern one way or another otherwise," Angela responded.

"Then doesn't that mean you care about fulfilling your orders?" Larka pointed out.

"I have to fulfill my orders. I do not care about them; it is merely my design," Angela said.

Larka looked away. "That means you don't care… about any of us?"

"My orders are to protect the substitute. In addition, this group is destroying the enemies that I am assigned to. This raises the efficiency of the task by 69.92 percent," Angela stated. "Other than that, no."

"…I see," Larka said softly. Then, without warning, she wrapped her arms around Angela, who did not react. Larka continued, "This is one of the ways humans show they care about one another, through embracing. I care about you, Angela. It's not your fault that you can't return that feeling, but one day… I hope you'll be able to."

"I will do my best," Angela said flatly.

Larka knew there was little else she could do. She released Angela with a saddened sigh and went to the door. "Wait here. I'll be back shortly."

"Affirmative."

Once Larka had went outside, Angela kept her gaze on the door. Zack was there, but he was asleep. Thus, nobody was able to see that Angela, for the first time, had something close to an expression in her eyes, one of puzzlement.

…

"I had a really great time tonight," Hope said as Max opened the door to let her in. "Thanks again."

"Thanks for accepting," Max replied. "I did too."

"I'm going to get ready for bed. See you in the living room." Hope went down the hallway, leaving Max at the front door. He hesitated to go in, gazing back at the moon once more.

"Max?"

He turned to see Larka. "I thought you would already be asleep," he said, surprised.

"Too many worries," she answered. "But I'm going to try to rest soon."

"Last thing you need is to be exhausted tomorrow," Max agreed. "Did you need something?"

"Well… you are of a high rank," Larka said. "I wanted to know if you received any orders for the Judge situation."

"No, not yet," Max stated. "I believe the suspicions my superior holds are correct though. What those are, I'm not going to say for the moment."

"Okay then," Larka said. "That's all I have to say for now. Good night."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow." Max watched her leave and sighed before entering his home.

To be continued…


	19. Unexpected

Five and a half day weekend! What more could I ask for? I hope to get several chapters done with all this free time.

**Chapter Nineteen: Unexpected**

As agreed, everyone arrived at the canyon area at nine. The ones who got there early were given the pleasure of watching Draken pursuing Rue and Miles with murderous intent.

"Should I ask?" Hope muttered when she saw it.

"Best not," Max said.

Malon thought of it as a game and eventually managed to latch onto Draken's jacket, distracting him enough for Rue and Miles to duck behind the other group members for safety. Once Larka had lightly chastised her overly-eager Soul Monster and the trio called a temporary truce, they began to discuss what to do next.

"Should we just search randomly? Or would it be better to have Angela track a member again?" Brandi asked.

Larka looked at Angela thoughtfully. "We would have a lead that way…"

"After being attacked in that location twice out of the two times you have been there, I am firmly against that idea," Zack stated. "I never liked it in the first place, but now there is evidence to back that dislike up."

"He's got a point," Draken concurred. "We'd best stick together to take a lesser risk."

"The Judges appear to be after us either way," Gen noted. "They will find us if that is the case."

"Very perceptive!"

They only had enough time to register those two words before a yellow, transparent pyramid sprang up, encasing them inside it. Malon was the first to react, and he did so by leaping at one of the walls. Judging by the painful-sounding smack that resulted from it, it was a solid structure. Whining and pawing the wall, Malon further proved it was not about to budge.

"What the heck is this supposed to be?" Miles said, warily putting a hand to the wall by him.

"It is called Pyramid Power." A man walked out from behind a nearby rock at this. He had a light brown shirt and dark brown pants with short, dark-blonde hair. A golden mask covered his face, one that had an Egyptian appearance, which only exposed his green eyes. They glittered gleefully as he continued, "There are no entrances or exits. Basically, you're trapped!"

"Enemy detected," Angela said flatly, being the only one to not react emotionally to the man's statement.

"Great, another Egyptian freak," Rue grumbled.

"How long do you expect that to work?" Max said, sliding a card into his Duel Disk. To his surprise, it ejected almost instantly. "What?"

"That's the problem about going against someone who was able to delete part of Teknisk Wereld," the man said maliciously. "That person would probably be able to do something about your silly support cards, wouldn't you think? Your Duel Disks are as good as locked except for dueling purposes now."

"Not again!" Mana complained. "This guy must be Ian's cousin second removed!"

"He is right though. Without support cards, we are trapped," Will said distractedly. He was apparently busy trying to think of an alternative method.

"Changing position for clear line of attack." Eyes now focused, Angela began to walk towards the Pyramid Power's wall that the man stood on the other side of.

"Oh this is rich!" the man said with a laugh. "I'm assuming she's the Guardian, but even she can't get through my Pyramid-"

The man's arrogant speech cut off at what Angela did next. Rather than stopping at the wall, she continued through it, as if the wall was not even there. He was not the only stunned one though.

"H-how did she…?" Kisara said.

"Is that wall defective or something?" Rue smacked it with his fist. "OW!"

"Guess that's a no," Draken said dryly.

"Angela, how did you do that?" Larka asked, finishing the question Kisara had been unable to.

"To further my efficiency, I have been programmed to not be affected by any support cards," Angela stated. Her hair rose. "Will commence attack."

"Oh no you don't!" the man said, placing a card to his Duel Disk. "You may not be affected by them, but your trapped buddies will be!" If his face could be seen, it would have most likely been in a smirk as Angela's hair lowered. "That's what I thought! Now, if maybe you could duel or something, I'd place some stakes that would allow you to kill me, but since you can't…"

Angela held out her left arm. "Preparing proper protocols. Preparation complete. Forming materials necessary to duel… complete." A Duel Disk formed on her arm, a deck already inserted.

"WHAT?" several people chorused, including the man.

"Angela can duel?" Rue said in shock.

"Apparently," Neo answered.

"It shouldn't be that much of a surprise," Will said. "Teknisk Wereld revolves around cards, so it would make sense to program its core, the Guardian, to know how to use them."

"State your conditions," Angela said.

"Um…" The man hesitated, but coughed a few times and stood straight in a more confident manner. "On my name of Ramses, if you win, you can kill me! But if I win, you come with me quietly, as do your little friends!"

"Negative. I have no friends," Angela stated.

"Thanks a lot!" Rue and Miles chorused.

"Fine, they come with me," Ramses said, pointing at the group.

"Agreed." Angela's Duel Disk activated.

"I don't know if a freak like you would have a Soul Monster, but I do!" At this, he brought out a Soul Card, causing his Soul Monster to appear. Mostly wrapped in red bandages, the spectators could see that the rotted skin beneath them was blue in the small areas it showed. He held a brass ornament of sorts in his right hand and had only one eye uncovered, which gleamed white. It made a ghastly appearance, especially with his sharp-toothed grin. "Meet Sanies!"

"Analyzing… confirmed to be a Poison Mummy. Preparing counter measures." Angela drew five cards, not intimidated in the least.

"For our sakes, I pray Angela's a good duelist," Draken remarked.

"With her mind, you would think she would be," Gen said.

"Hopefully…" Larka said nervously.

"Wild guess here, but I'm betting Ramses uses Egyptian cards," Miles said. "Don't ask how I came up with that idea."

"It will be interesting to see what cards Angela has though," Gaston added.

Angela: 8000

Ramses: 8000

"If you're as emotionless as you act, I doubt you'll care if I go first!" Ramses said. "I lay a card down and summon Murder Circus Zombie!" (1350/0)

Hope shuddered at the monster's appearance. "Clowns are bad enough, but undead clowns are even worse!"

"That monster doesn't have an effect," Will noted.

"Really? Then it's a pretty weak monster to be using," Rue said. "What's he playing at?"

"Your turn," Ramses said.

"Entering draw phase." Angela drew a card. "Ending draw phase. Entering standby phase. Ending standby phase. Entering main phase one. I summon Birdman." (1800/600)

"Don't tell me it's a Beatdown deck," Rue groaned in reaction to the monster appearing.

"I doubt it," Draken said. "Let's keep watching."

"Ending main phase one. Entering battle phase. Attack with Birdman," Angela continued. He flew forward to do so.

"I'm going to chain to that attack with my trap card, First Coffin!" Ramses declared. The coffin burst out of the ground to float in midair. "I'll explain what this does shortly. For now, your attack goes through." He did not seem concerned by the Birdman ripping apart his Murder Circus Zombie.

Angela: 8000

Ramses: 7550

"Ending battle phase. Entering main phase two. I lay one card down in the magic and trap card zone. Ending main phase two. Entering end phase."

"That's the cue for my First Coffin's effect!" Ramses announced. "I search my deck for a magic card called Second Coffin and play it." Another coffin rose to float by the first one. "My turn now?"

"Ending end phase. Turn complete," Angela stated.

"Geez, you're more of a robot than I thought," Ramses grumbled, drawing. "Can someone tell her to shut up about her phases?"

"We could, but if it annoys you, we won't," Draken said, grinning.

"But it annoys me too," Rue muttered.

"And that's a bad thing?" Miles joked.

"Fine! I lay a monster in defense mode and two cards down!" Ramses said. "Go!"

"Entering draw phase." Angela put her hand to her deck.

"Angela? You don't have to announce your phases like that," Larka said, taking pity on the irritated members of the group. "Just say what cards you're playing."

"As you wish," Angela said. "I summon Burning Bird." (1000/800)

"You're kidding," Rue said, staring at her two monsters. "Birds?"

"An odd theme," Max remarked. "And not one many people use. I know Harpy decks can be effective, but a Bird Sub-Type deck is not easy to run."

"Why those though?" Hope wondered.

"Birdman attacks your defense monster," Angela stated.

"That was my Pharaoh's Servant." (900/0)

"Burning Bird attacks directly."

Ramses winced at the scorching attack, but said, "At this time, I'll activate my trap card, Destiny Destroy! I discard the top three cards on my deck and lose 1000 Life Points for any magic or trap cards that are in them." He looked at the top three. "Bah, I had one, Delta Attack. But I also had Restless Dead and Pharaohic Guardian, so it served its purpose. Done?"

Angela: 8000

Ramses: 5550

"Yes," Angela said.

"Good! On your end phase, my First Coffin's effect activates again, getting me Third Coffin!" A third coffin appeared. "That means I can remove them from my field to special summon Spirit of the Pharaoh from my deck!"

The three coffins opened, fog pouring from them. It solidified to form a figure in a gold outfit, his mask similar to Ramses'.

"He can only be special summoned that way, but when he is, I can also special summon as many as four normal Undead monsters that are level two or lower from my Cemetery!" Ramses placed four more cards on his Duel Disk. "That means I get all of the ones in there! In addition, Sanies' Deck Master ability activates! Each time I special summon an Undead Sub-Type, you lose 500 Life Points!"

Although the poisonous gas Sanies unleashed certainly seemed deadly, Angela did not react to inhaling it or to her Life Point counter going down.

Angela: 5500

Ramses: 5550

"That explains the mask," Darche said.

Ramses caught the comment. "To be more specific, it explains the design. The mask itself I wear for another reason. Want to see?" He did not wait for a response, instead ripping it off to reveal his face, if it could be called that. There were so many scars crisscrossing over it that the only thing intact were his two eyes; how they had survived was beyond anyone's guess. He replaced it, saying, "See why I fight against Teknisk Wereld now? Wild monsters tore my face apart when it was said that you couldn't be harmed in it! I'm taking vengeance on this world, and you won't stop me!"

"That could have happened in real life too," Brandi pointed out. "Mistakes happen and are corrected. You shouldn't blame the whole world on that."

"Who asked you?" Ramses spat. "I'm going to end this duel now! Any resistance you have will be gone with this trap card, Death With Honor! By sacrificing a normal monster that's level two or lower, I can destroy up to two magic or trap cards, so I sacrifice my Restless Dead to do so!"

"Activate chaining," Angela said. "Emissary of Harmony activated. No damage will be taken for the rest of this turn. God Bird Attack activated. It requires sacrificing a Bird Sub-Type to destroy two cards on the field. I sacrifice Burning Bird to destroy Spirit of the Pharaoh and Murder Circus Zombie."

"Basically, you used a better version of my card," Ramses said in disgust, watching his monsters go up in flames. "And with that Emissary of Harmony, I can't hurt you this turn. Looks like Thousand Energy's no good for now. I'll summon another Restless Dead (800/600) and lay a card down. Your turn."

"I summon The Guiding Hand of Nefutisu. (600/600) I sacrifice Birdman and The Guiding Hand of Nefutisu to activate its effect. I special summon Phoenix God of Nefutisu from my deck." (2400/1600)

The spectators watched in awe as the glowing, golden bird with a blue jewel at its neck descended in a fiery blaze from the sky. Oddly, it had a torso and two golden arms, although these were not very noticeable due to its large wings. It let out a piercing shriek, causing Ramses to clap his hands over his ears. Angela did not react to the cry, with not even a spark of triumph anywhere to be seen when looking at her. She merely said, "Phoenix God of Nefutisu attacks Restless Dead."

Ramses snapped out of his state to say, "I activate my trap, First Coffin! Not that that'll save my Restless Dead…"

The Phoenix flapped its wings together, and a stream of fire came from them, reducing the Restless Dead to ashes.

Angela: 5500

Ramses: 3950

"So that's what her theme is," Draken said. "Birds are there, but it centers on Phoenix, I'm guessing."

"There are stronger monsters though," Mana pointed out. "Why choose this one? Unless it has an effect I'm not aware of."

"Done," Angela said.

"I get Second Coffin on your end phase." Ramses looked at his next card and laughed. "I was a bit worried about your Phoenix at first, but this'll take care of it. I play an instant magic card, Strike Order! By sacrificing a normal monster, one of your monsters is destroyed! I'll give up my Pharaoic Servant to eliminate your Phoenix! Then I summon Hands of the Dead (600/600) and play Thousand Energy! All of my level two or lower normal monsters have their attacks raised by 1000! (1900/0) (1600/0) My Pharaoic Guardian and Hands of the Dead attack directly!"

Although the two monsters struck Angela with powered-up attacks, she reacted as a statue would, not moving in the slightest or showing any sign of pain.

Angela: 2000

Ramses: 3950

"At the end of my turn, my monsters are destroyed due to Thousand Energy," Ramses said, watching them explode. "No problem though, seeing as my Coffins will get me more once you end your turn. Hurry up and let me win!"

"Phoenix God of Nefutisu's effect activates," Angela said as it appeared on her field with an echoing cry.

"What? How?" Ramses said, shocked at the Phoenix's sudden appearance.

"When destroyed by a card effect, it is special summoned on my next standby phase. It destroys all magic and trap cards on the field." To prove her words true, it screeched and flapped its wings, washing flames over both sides of the field. Angela had no cards on her side, but Ramses had his two Coffins, which burned away instantly.

"Phoenix God of Nefutisu attacks directly." Ramses barely had time to throw his hands up in front of himself defensively before being blasted by fire.

Angela: 2000

Ramses: 1550

"Done," Angela said.

"That answer your question?" Neo said to Mana.

"Sure does," Mana said, wide-eyed.

"She uses a truly powerful monster," Kazel stated.

Hope nodded. "Still, I wonder if there's another reason that one was chosen."

Ramses was shaking slightly as he drew. "This is the end of me… I lay a monster in defense mode and end my turn…"

"I summon Eagle Eye. (1300/1200) Eagle Eye attacks your monster."

"That was my Pharaoic Guardian…" (900/0)

"Phoenix God of Nefutisu attacks directly."

With that statement, the flames consumed Ramses, along with his Soul Monster. They heard a final scream from him, soon drowned out by the roaring fire. When they cleared, only ashes remained, ones that were soon blown away by the wind.

Angela: 2000

Ramses: 0

The Pyramid Power vanished with the destruction of Ramses' Duel Disk. Despite their newfound freedom, the group remained still, watching Angela. She deactivated her Duel Disk, causing the Phoenix to vanish, and held out her arm. The Duel Disk disappeared, similar to how it had first come to her. Turning to the group, she said, "Target eliminated. Awaiting new orders."

"You… did well, Angela," Larka said warily. "Stand down for now."

"Affirmative."

"That was interesting, to say the least," Draken said.

"We oughta let her duel more often," Miles commented.

"Maybe, but we agreed to help Teknisk Wereld too," Hope said.

"We should not put Angela in danger," Kisara said quietly. "What if she was defeated?"

"Then Teknisk Wereld goes down with her," Will said. "I see your point."

"Looks like we're still handling most of the duels." Brandi shrugged. "Not much we can do to help that. Where should we go now?"

"How about we check out the town?" Gen suggested. "The Judges might be meeting there."

"Why do you say that?" Hope asked.

"They found us there quickly yesterday, and with so many empty buildings, it would be easy to find a good meeting point," Zack stated. "I think Gen is right."

"Let's head there then," Max said. "We don't know how long we have before the Judges manage to find a way to delete the rest of Teknisk Wereld, so we'd better hurry."

"Agreed," Will said as they started walking, away from the canyons and towards the plains outside of the town.

To be continued…


	20. Emotionless

Two chapters in one day? No way!

Small bit of trivia. Last chapter was the first chapter in I don't know how long to have less than 3,000 words. This one barely broke that barrier. Next chapter should be longer though.

**Chapter Twenty: Emotionless**

The trip to the city through the plains had little conversation. The group was on their guard for any ambushes the Judges might have. After all of the attacks they had endured, their caution made perfect sense.

Only one exception had come up, which was when Rue had said, "We're in trouble without our support cards. Think there's any way to fix our Duel Disks?"

"Until we speak with the one who locked them, probably not," Will said.

"I am more concerned about being unable to log off," Kazel stated. "If Teknisk Wereld starts to be deleted again and we cannot get out…"

This grim fact kept them silent until they reached the halfway point of their destination. With no cover on the plains, they instantly saw the person standing there, apparently watching them.

"Everyone else see that?" Draken said.

"Yeah. How should we proceed? It has to be a Judge," Neo pointed out.

"Yet we have not been attacked yet. All of the other Judges did so," Will reminded him.

"It's strange, but we should probably see who it is," Gaston said. "If it's a Judge, we would have to face him or her anyway. If not, we can ask what he or she is doing here."

"Sounds good to me," Miles said.

They cautiously approached the person, who did not move. As they did, they could see it was a girl. She was clothed in a gray long-sleeved shirt and black pants and had brown hair that barely brushed her shoulders. Her eyes were blue, but an unusual shade that was close to gray. Although she had a Duel Disk, unlike the Judges, she had no card at the ready to attack with.

Encouraged by this, Larka whispered to Angela, "Don't attack yet, okay? We might be able to talk this out."

"Affirmative," Angela responded, as usual.

Halting a safe distance away from her, Hope said, "Are you a Judge?"

"Yes," she replied, her voice tone surprisingly similar to Angela's in flatness. "My name is Toyah, and I was ordered to stop your group if you came this way."

"Are you going to try?" Draken asked.

"Possibly. It depends on whether you accept or decline my offer," Toyah stated.

"At least you seem more reasonable than the other Judges," Brandi said. "What's your offer?"

Toyah lifted her hand, pointing it towards Zack. "I wish to duel you."

Whatever they had been expecting, this was not it, especially in Zack's case. Clearly confused, he said, "Why me?"

"It is a personal matter," Toyah said, although her emotionless tone did not very much endorse her statement. "I merely wish for a death match against you. The loser dies. Either way, I will not impede the rest of your group's progress afterwards."

"Sounds a lot better than what most of the other ones have said," Max remarked.

"What do you think, Zack?" Larka asked. "It's your decision."

Zack nodded. "I'll do it. I do not plan on losing either way, but it makes me feel more at ease to be placing only my life on the line."

"Very well. We shall begin." Toyah brought out a Soul Card, and beside her appeared a slightly-taller, humanoid monster. Many of his body parts were silver metal, although his face, right arm, and chest were tanned skin and clearly well-muscled body parts. On each of his shoulders was a big, golden gear, as well as a smaller one on the left side of his helmet, one that covered his eyes. Over his right shoulder was a green rocket launcher, one he held at the ready. "Tollen will assist me. He is a Gadget Soldier."

"All right. I have no Soul Monster," Zack said, turning on his Duel Disk. Toyah followed suit.

Zack: 8000

Toyah: 8000

"I was the challenger. You may go first," Toyah said.

"If you do not mind," Zack responded. "I summon Drillago (1600/1100) and lay a card face down."

"I start by summoning Green Gadget. (1400/600) Its effect activates when summoned or special summoned successfully, allowing me to take a Red Gadget from my deck and put it into my hand." Toyah did so, shuffling her deck afterwards. "I place two cards and end."

"Let's see how this works," Zack said. "I summon Cannon Soldier. (1400/1300) Then I will attack Green Gadget with Drillago."

"I activate an instant magic card in response called Charge," Toyah stated. "It raises my monster's attack by 700 for this turn." (2100/600)

"Good try, but Drillago won't go down without him," Zack declared, flipping over a card. "My trap card, Raremetal Conversion, Magic Reflex Armor, raises Drillago's attack by 500. (2100/1100) That means they destroy each other."

As he said, the monsters collided, exploding. Once the field had cleared, Toyah said, "This means Tollen's Deck Master ability activates. When one of my Gadget monsters is destroyed in battle, it is shuffled into my deck instead of going to the Cemetery."

Zack did not appear concerned at that. "Very well. Cannon Soldier attacks directly."

"I still have another card," Toyah said. "This is a trap card called Mobile Fortress Strong Hold. It acts as a monster, which is special summoned to my monster zone in defense mode. (0/2000) Do you want to continue your attack?"

"No, I will call it off and end my turn," Zack decided.

"I lay one monster in defense mode and a card down," Toyah said.

Zack considered her field briefly. "I also place a monster, and attack your face-down one with Cannon Soldier."

"It is Red Gadget." (1300/1500) A small amount of the recoil from the attack hit Zack, injuring him slightly.

Zack: 7900

Toyah: 8000

"I suppose I am done," Zack said.

Toyah slid the card she drew onto her Duel Disk at once. "I summon Startup Soldier Dead Revolver. (0/2000) When I have a face-up monster with Gadget in its name, his attack increases by 2000. (2000/2000) I switch Red Gadget to attack mode. Dead Revolver attacks Cannon Soldier, and Red Gadget attacks directly."

These attacks were certainly worse than the deflection damage that had previously occurred, but Zack still stood strong once they were done.

Zack: 6000

Toyah: 8000

"I lay a card down, ending my turn," Toyah concluded.

"Not bad, but I can handle it," Zack said. "I summon Magic Reflector Reflect Bounder. (1700/1000) I equip him with 7 Card, choosing to raise his attack by 700. (2400/1000) I lay a card down and attack Dead Revolver, which ends my turn."

Zack: 6000

Toyah: 7600

Toyah did not react to the little damage she had taken. "I summon Yellow Gadget. (1200/1200) When summoned or special summoned, I can get a Green Gadget from my deck. I activate my permanent trap card, Compensation of Blood. By paying 500 Life Points, I can normal summon another monster. I pay 500 for Green Gadget, whose effect lets me get a Red Gadget. I pay for Red Gadget, who lets me get a Yellow Gadget from my deck."

Zack: 6000

Toyah: 6600

"Ouch, she has a full field," Draken said, grimacing.

"When you take into account her Deck Master ability and her Gadgets' effects, she has quite a combo going," Max said.

"My Mobile Fortress' effect is triggered. When I have Green Gadget, Red Gadget, and Yellow Gadget on the field, its attack increases by 3000. (3000/2000) As for your monsters, I know what Reflect Bounder's effect is," Toyah stated. "So I attack it with Red Gadget. Although Reflect Bounder destroys it, its effect causes it to be destroyed as well."

"After you take Life Point damage equal to your attack," Zack confirmed as both monsters met their end.

"Mobile Fortress attacks your defense monster," Toyah continued once she had shuffled the Red Gadget into her deck.

The Fortress gunned down his monster swiftly, leaving Zack to say, "You destroyed my Roulette Bomber." (1000/2000)

"Green Gadget, Red Gadget, and Yellow Gadget attack directly," Toyah finished.

The triple direct attack had a devastating effect on Zack. He barely managed to stay upright at the painful strikes, but he did somehow.

Zack: 2100

Toyah: 4200

"Z-Zack…" Larka said worriedly.

"That must have been brutal," Miles remarked, wincing.

"I hope he has a way to deal with all of those monsters," Gaston said, clearly concerned.

Zack tried to not let his agony show as he drew. He glanced over his hand, and then looked up. "Is it all right if I ask something? If I do not do so now, I may not get the chance later."

"Go ahead," Toyah answered.

"Why did you want to duel me? As far as I know, we have never met before," Zack stated.

Toyah paused, as though she was unsure of how to respond. Then she said, "You are the cyborg that was hired as a mercenary. The victim did not matter to you so long as you had a target to kill. One of those targets was my father."

"Ah…" Zack trailed off, shaking his head. "I assume it will not help matters much for you, since my words cannot change what has happened, but I truly am sorry…"

"…I see," was all Toyah said.

"Talk about our pasts coming to haunt us," Brandi said.

"These Judges are making me think back to the actions I took before," Draken said, looking away. "Fitting name they carry, huh?"

"That's one way to look at it," Hope answered, not knowing what else to say.

"To continue the duel… I summon Sphere Bomb. (1400/1400) Then I activate Cry of the Living Dead for Drillago," Zack said. "Drillago attacks Green Gadget. That should reduce your Mobile Fortress' attack to zero, so Sphere Bomb attacks it."

Zack's assumption proved to be true. Both of the monsters fell without a problem, leaving Toyah staggering.

Zack: 2100

Toyah: 2600

"You may go," Zack said.

Toyah straightened, and after she had replaced the Green Gadget into her deck, said, "I summon Yellow Gadget. Its effect gets me Green Gadget, which I pay 500 Life Points to summon. I get Red Gadget and pay 500 more to summon it, getting a Yellow Gadget to keep in my hand. Then I activate a magic card, Union Attack. I choose a face-up monster, and its attack will be increased by the amount of attack all of my other attack mode monsters have during my battle phase. However, no battle damage can be done by that monster, and none of my other monsters can attack during that battle phase."

"Whew. For a second there, I thought Zack was screwed," Rue commented.

"I choose to do this for Green Gadget. It attacks your Drillago. (6400/600) I lay one card down to end my turn," Toyah said.

Zack: 2100

Toyah: 1600

"This constant amount of monsters is troublesome," Zack said. "Thankfully, I believe I can do something about it now. I sacrifice my Sphere Bomb for Immense Battleship Tetoran. (1800/2300) Tetoran comes with three counters, and by removing one, I can destroy a magic or trap card on the field. I can only do this once per turn, so I remove one to destroy your face-down card."

"It is Rising Energy. I will not chain it," Toyah said, watching the Tetoran warily.

"I lay a card down, and Tetoran attacks your Yellow Gadget," Zack stated.

The laser blasts caught Toyah as well. While she was still standing, she looked about ready to drop.

Zack: 2100

Toyah: 1000

"I lost another counter by being in battle, leaving Tetoran with one," Zack said. "When Tetoran has zero counters and battles, it is destroyed at the damage step. You may go."

"I summon Yellow Gadget and get a Green Gadget to put into my hand," Toyah said. "Judging by what you said, two attacks will be enough to leave you open. I attack with Green Gadget to make Tetoran lose a counter."

"I can't afford to let that happen," Zack responded. "I activate Attack Nullification to negate your attack and end the battle phase."

Toyah gazed at her hand with dimming eyes. "There is nothing else I can do…"

"Then I have won," Zack stated. "I summon another Cannon Soldier and activate his effect. By sacrificing a monster on my field, you lose 500 Life Points. I sacrifice Tetoran, and then Cannon Soldier himself."

The Cannon Soldier blasted Toyah once, and then became energy itself to fire upon her. The second attack caused her to fall to her knees.

Zack: 2100

Toyah: 0

"Thank goodness…" Larka said, clearly relieved. Malon yipped happily in agreement.

"Now what?" Rue said.

Zack approached Toyah, who did not respond, and kneeled to bring himself to her eye level. "You said this was to be a death duel. I never enjoyed killing, nor did I ever get used to it. I do not mind if you live, so long as you do not interfere with what we are doing."

Toyah slowly shook her head. "I have lost. It is only right that I die."

"Is that truly how you feel?" Zack asked.

"…I was dead since the day my father died," Toyah said softly. "He was the only person who loved me. Without him, I had nothing. The only reason I have continued to exist is to meet his murderer. I thought I could feel hatred towards that person, and with that, regain part of myself. That proved impossible though, because you were not a person I could hate."

Guilt showing in his expression, Zack said, "Is there anything I can do to help? If I cannot take back my previous actions, let me do something to assist you at least."

"Before I say that, let me tell you something," Toyah said. "Seiryu gave me specific orders to go to the forest to report. The time that I was supposed to report is near. You might find him there." She closed her eyes. "As for how you can help, I wish to be with my father. Kill me the exact same way as you killed him. Please."

"…You are sure that is what you want?" Zack asked.

Toyah's response was firm. "Yes."

Zack glanced back at the spectators, who did not respond. Tollen did not either, as if he were a lifeless machine. Then he turned back to her, his switchblade coming out of his arm. "Very well. I pray I am doing the right thing, if there is a right thing to do in this situation."

One slash across her throat was all it took, as Zack mimicked the exact technique he had used on most of the people he had killed in his mercenary years, which probably included her father. Her body fell to the ground. As it did, for one fleeting moment, he thought he saw Toyah smile. If she had, it was gone a second later, as she went still.

Tollen fell to his knees at Toyah's death, clearly pained. Zack hesitated until Neo said, "It'd be better if you finished him off too. I remember when Will died, and it was unbearable agony for me to continue living. A Soul Monster cannot live long without their partner."

"Very well." Zack took the Soul Card out and tore it, causing Tollen to vanish. He swiped his switchblade across the grass and stood, letting it slide back into his arm. Facing the group, he said, "I hope none of you think less of me for that."

"You did what you thought was best," Larka said, trying to smile at him. Although it wavered, it was still a comforting sight for Zack.

"At least you gave her what she wanted," Hope said. "She really didn't seem happy, or sad, or… anything. I think you freed her from an emotionless life."

"It is times like this that I am grateful for avoiding that fate myself," Zack stated.

These words caused Larka to glance at Angela, whose gaze was locked straight ahead. Larka forced herself to turn back to Zack and say, "What about her body?"

"Normally I would bury her, but our support cards are banned," Zack said. "As much as I regret to say it, I do not think it is possible."

"Burial is possible," Angela stated.

Everyone turned to look at her while Zack said, "How so?"

"I can manipulate the data in the ground and her body to transport it down a short distance," Angela answered.

"Would you?" Larka asked, hardly able to believe that Angela had even brought this up.

"If that is what you wish." Angela went next to Toyah's body and had her hair extend, wrapping around it until it was covered. Then the bundle sank into the ground, the hair soon emerging and returning to its usual length.

"I never thought Angela would do something like that," Mana said in awe.

Angela heard her, and said, "I am following the orders of the substitute."

"Still, you brought up the fact that you could without any of us asking you!" Larka said. "That's an improvement, Angela. I think you really are starting to gain emotions."

"I am not programmed to have emotions," Angela replied. "However, you may believe as you wish."

"Oh, and Angela? You don't have to call me 'substitute'," Larka added. "You've heard everyone else calling me Larka, right? That's my name, after all. You can call me that too."

"As you wish, Larka," Angela stated.

"While this is nice and all, don't you guys think we should get moving?" Miles said. "Toyah gave us the information we needed. We should get to the forest right away."

"Right," Hope said. "Are we all ready?"

Everyone except Angela nodded; her response was to start walking towards the forest. The group quickly fell into step with her.

…

Inside the building where the head Judges often met, Seiryu was watching through an eye formed by the trap card Eye of Truth. What it showed him caused him to glare, furious at the sight as he was.

"This is getting absolutely ridiculous." He stood up, wrenching the card from his Duel Disk. "Fine, no more playing around. It is time I sent my oldest friend to finish them off."

To be continued…


	21. Veteran

So, this is apparently chapter 150 in all of Teknisk Wereld. Good gosh. Hope it's enjoyed.

**Chapter Twenty-One: Veteran**

There were no difficulties in entering the forest, prompting them to go further inside. They cautiously walked amongst the trees, looking out for Seiryu every step of the way. The unnatural silence only made things worse. Normally there would be sounds of wild monsters, but none sounded now. All that could be heard were their footsteps.

Despite their precautions, none of the group expected what happened next. From the cover of trees, a monster leapt out, brandishing a white sword. Its chest was covered with armor that looked like a skull, its shield was another skull, and on its head was a helmet with a long, red horn coming out of each side. Its face was what betrayed it to not be human; rather than flesh, it too was a white skull, one that had small black dots in its sockets for eyes.

Miles had been at the head of the group, so he was the one the monster swung at. Fortunately for Miles, his instincts took over, causing him to duck and roll underneath the sword, getting out of the way. Before the monster could attack again, Darche lunged at him. Their swords clashed as they were locked in a parry.

"Constricted area. Waiting for clear line of fire. Beginning countermeasures," Angela said as the rest of the group tried to react to what was happening. They had little time to get their bearings though due to what happened next.

Hope, Max, and Kisara had been near the back during this time, but out of the three of them and their Soul Monsters, only Kisara saw a nearby tree's branches move, and a dark shape emerge from its leaves. She tried to react when she saw it, tried to warn them of what was about to happen, but her shock delayed her one second too long.

The figure landed behind Max, causing him and everyone else at the back of the group to start to turn. It was too late to prevent the attack from happening though. They managed to hear the person say, "Please do not think ill of me," and the sound of steel meeting with flesh. Max staggered back, a hand conscientiously going over the deep wound to his stomach region he had just received, and fell backwards.

The person did not stop there, for the weapon darted towards Hope at once. Gaston was able to react this time, blocking the strike with his sword. That was all the person had time to try, for Angela said, "Countermeasures complete," and her hair went into the ground. A second later, it emerged all around the group, enclosing them in a dome-shaped barrier that locked the two attackers out. Two rough slices could be heard from outside, yet the barrier showed no sign of getting weaker.

"Max!" Hope cried, kneeling beside him and applying pressure to his wound at once. "Hang on, Max!"

"How bad is it?" Will asked.

Mana took a close look and winced. "Pretty bad, especially without support cards. I'd say he needs a tourniquet, at least."

"Do we have anything we could use as one?" Brandi said frantically.

"I'm… fine…" Max managed to say. His shaky voice did not convince anyone of that though.

"I do not think we have anything that could qualify as that," Rue said, glaring at where the person had been. "Damn it! If only we'd been more careful."

"No sense in dwelling on the past," Draken stated. "Let's think of what we can do to remedy this."

"Keep applying pressure," Mana instructed to Hope. "It's the best we can do at this point."

Angela had been standing at the center of the group, unmoving due to the barrier she was producing. When she heard what Mana said though, part of her hair split away to go to Max. Seeing what she was doing, Hope removed her bloody hands, watching in disbelief as Angela wrapped the wound tightly with her hair and severed it, leaving an effective substitute for a tourniquet.

"Angela… you…" Hope said in shock.

"The chances for his survival have risen by 87.48 percent," Angela stated. "To further ensure he survives, it is advised that he is given medical attention when possible."

"You didn't even wait for an order, or ask to if you could do that, or anything!" Larka said, amazed. "You heard what Mana said and acted off it!"

"My protocol dictates that I am to protect innocents in Teknisk Wereld," Angela stated. "That includes saving lives when possible."

"Still, I'm glad to see you acting humanely," Larka said.

Max could not move very well at the moment, but he looked towards Angela and said, "Thanks."

"I am happy to be of service," Angela recited.

"Geez, she killed me yesterday, and now she's saving Max," Rue muttered. "Whose side is she on anyway?"

"Ours, you not included," Draken joked.

"Thanks, _buddy_," Rue growled.

From outside the barrier, a voice was heard. "It appears we have reached a stalemate. Might I ask that you lower this barrier so we can converse more easily? I give my word that I will not attack until we negotiate."

"What do you guys think?" Miles said.

"I don't trust him," Brandi said shortly.

"I doubt any of us do," Zack pointed out. "But we will get nowhere like this."

"Angela, can you lower the barrier, but be ready to bring it up again immediately if necessary?" Larka requested.

"If that is what you wish." The dome parted and sank back into the ground. Angela's hair remained submerged with the ground though, showing that she was prepared to use it at a moment's notice.

The man who had assaulted them stood next to what they now knew had to be his Soul Monster. He had a theme of black, wearing a shirt, pants, shin-high boots, a trenchcoat, and a wide-brim hat of that color. His hair was gray with sideburns, and his mustache was trimmed neatly. Green eyes analyzed them, and his right hand grasped a brown cane with gold at the top. The bottom of the can had a blade, explaining how he had slashed Max.

"Greetings," the man said, bowing slightly to them. "I am Duke, and this is Herzog, a Skull Bishop. There is no need to introduce yourselves to me; Seiryu has already informed me of whom each of you are."

"We heard Seiryu was supposed to be around here," Hope said. "Is he?"

"I assume you picked up that information from Toyah," Duke stated. "Do not blame her, for she did not know that Seiryu would be watching your group. Just because you cannot use support cards does not mean we cannot, after all."

"So now we have to deal with you," Rue said, rolling his eyes. "Great."

"I am quite willing to settle this in a duel," Duke said. "The loser will have to die, of course, but I expect you already know that by now. Any volunteers?"

To their surprise, Kisara stepped forward. "I will."

"Kisara? Why do you want to duel him?" Draken said.

Kisara looked at Max guiltily. "I saw Duke coming but was not able to warn Max in time. I want to make up for that."

"That doesn't mean you have to duel him," Max protested weakly.

"I would not feel right if I did not." Kisara turned to Duke. "I am ready."

"Then let us get started." Duke nodded to Herzog, who held out his sword towards where Duke stood. An instant later, a platform appeared that Duke stood on, one with a hanging noose. Herzog pointed his sword at Kisara, and an identical platform sprang up from underneath her.

"What's that for? Are you trying to kill both of you before the duel even starts?" Neo said in disbelief.

"Not at all." Duke took the noose and tightened it around his neck. "This merely insures that the loser will die. When one of us loses Life Points, the trapdoor below that person will begin to slide down. Once a person's Life Points hit zero, it falls away completely, and the loser strangles."

"That's ridiculous!" Draken looked up at Kisara. "Kisara, you've already dueled someone with absurd Life Point conditions! Let someone else duel him; heck, I will!"

Kisara shook her head. "I have to do this." Then she put the noose around her neck, pale yet determined.

"Watch out for him," Kazel said, taking her place beside Kisara's platform. "I have a bad feeling about this man."

Kisara: 8000

Duke: 8000

"I am one for allowing ladies to go first," Duke said.

"Okay… I summon Spear Dragon. (1900/0) That is all," Kisara said nervously.

"A powerful monster for a first turn, but one that can be handled," Duke stated. "I summon Doublecoston (1700/1650) and play a permanent magic card, Treasure of the Outerworld. When I sacrifice summon a monster that requires two sacrifices, I draw two cards. I lay one card down and end my turn."

When Kisara drew, Duke said, "I activate my trap card, Menacing Roar. You cannot declare an attack this turn."

"Oh… I place a monster in defense mode," Kisara said.

"Now it is time to show my deck's true colors," Duke declared. "I sacrifice my Doublecoston for Dark Knight Gaia of the Gale!" (2300/2100)

Hope blinked at the lance-bearing knight riding on his purple mare. "I've used that card before. His effect allows him to be special summoned when there are no other cards in your hand."

"Unfortunately, that was not an option in this case, so I had to make due with Doublecoston's effect," Duke said. "It serves as two sacrifices rather than one for a Dark Main-Type. My Treasure of the Outerworld activates now, so I draw two cards. Then Gaia attacks Spear Dragon."

The horse charged directly at the Spear Dragon, and Gaia drove his lance through it, avoiding getting pierced by the beast's pointed nose in the process.

Kisara: 7600

Duke: 8000

The trapdoor beneath Kisara slightly lowered with a creak. She glanced at it anxiously, but it had hardly moved, which reassured her.

"You are free to take your turn," Duke said.

"I flip over my own Doublecoston," Kisara said, causing Duke to look surprised. "I sacrifice him for a Red Eyes Black Dragon. (2400/2000) He attacks Gaia."

The Red Eyes shrieked and spat out a fireball, blasting Gaia off the field.

Kisara: 7600

Duke: 7900

Duke did not even notice the small shift his trapdoor made. "Impressive. It appears we each use an older monster theme, which should be interesting. I lay a monster in defense mode and a card face-down."

"I summon Dol Dora (1500/1200) and activate Kazel's Deck Master ability," Kisara said.

"Excellent," Kazel said with a grin. She let her aura flow into the Red Eyes Black Dragon. It screeched and shot a powered fireball, instantly wiping out the monster.

"I take it that was not from battle?" Duke assumed.

"No. When I have a Red Eyes Black Dragon on the field, I can destroy a monster by having it not attack this turn," Kisara explained.

"Ah. That means my Quick Squirrel's effect does not activate," Duke stated. "Continue."

"Dol Dora attacks directly, and I am done," Kisara concluded as the two dragon heads bit Duke.

Kisara: 7600

Duke: 6400

Seeing that Duke still looked calm despite his trapdoor lowering again, Rue commented, "He's not like the other Judges that much, is he? I mean, most of them got pretty upset when losing, and only Toyah was even close to being polite."

"To be quite honest, your statement offends me," Duke said, glancing at Rue. "I have been a Judge for fifty years, and never have I seen it so pained by internal turmoil. Seiryu took a lot of criticism for not attacking Teknisk Wereld from the people who wanted it destroyed and the newer Judges who joined to have it deleted. The members that were longstanding pressured him to not get involved. In the long run, however, Seiryu gave in and went with the newer members. He was tired of the complaints he was getting and eventually could not take it anymore."

"He must not have cared that much about the older Judges if he did that," Miles remarked.

Duke gave him a frosty glare. "In the past twenty-five years, Seiryu has changed the Judges for the better. He is a far better leader than Byakko ever was." He caught himself, and said more calmly, "It is not worth wasting time to explain this. You will never understand due to your bias that was generated by the Judges you have faced. I do not even consider them to be actual Judges, after all. They are merely people who claim to be Judges because of their petty losses."

The group was silent at that, unsure of how to respond to these views. Duke took the opportunity to take his turn, securing his footing against the trapdoor in preparation for the play he was making that would cause it to lower. "I play Early Burial, by paying 800 Life Points, to special summon my Quick Squirrel. (1000/100) Then I activate my trap card, Compensation of Blood. By paying 500 Life Points, I can normal summon Command Knight. (1200/1900) Her effect raises all Warrior Sub-Types' attacks by 400. (1600/1900) Then I sacrifice both of my monsters for Dark Knight Gaia." (2300/2100)

Kisara: 7600

Duke: 5100

"That was pretty lengthy simply to get one normal monster out that is weaker than a Red Eyes Black Dragon," Brandi said.

"Not at all," Duke said. "It is time I explained Herzog's Deck Master ability. When I sacrifice a monster for a sacrifice summon, the summoned monster has its effect. For instance, when I brought out Dark Knight Gaia of the Gale, it had Doublecoston's effect. I simply did not mention it since it was unimportant at the time. This time, Dark Knight Gaia has Quick Squirrel's effect and Command Knight's. That means his attack goes up by 400. (2700/2100) Gaia attacks your Red Eyes Black Dragon."

Like a brave knight vanquishing an evil dragon, Gaia charged and pierced the Red Eyes. It roared painfully and vanished.

Kisara: 7300

Duke: 5100

Kisara waited for the trapdoor to halt before she said, "I switch Dol Dora to defense mode and play Stomping Crash. When I have a Dragon Sub-Type out, I choose a magic or trap card on the field and destroy it, dealing 500 Life Point damage to its controller. Your Compensation of Blood is my choice. I am done."

Kisara: 7300

Duke: 4600

Duke's trapdoor had lowered nearly half-way. "Not bad," he commented. "But it would have been better to save it for this. I play a permanent magic card, Spiral Shaver! When a Dark Knight Gaia, Dark Knight Gaia of the Gale, or Dragon Knight Gaia attacks with this card out, they deal damage to monsters in defense mode as well. Gaia attacks Dol Dora."

His lances now glowing, Gaia speared each of the dragon heads, one per lance.

Kisara: 5800

Duke: 4600

Kisara was finding it somewhat difficult to keep her footing now. She straightened after a moment and said, "Since Dol Dora was destroyed on the field and sent to the Cemetery, he is special summoned at the end of the turn in defense mode with stats of 1000. (1000/1000) I summon Dark Dragon Hatchling. (800/500) By sacrificing it from my field, I can special summon a Red Eyes Black Dragon from my hand, and I do so."

"I hope you have a plan with that," Duke said.

"I do," Kisara assured. "I sacrifice my Red Eyes Black Dragon to special summon Red Eyes Darkness Dragon." (2400/2000)

Everyone looked at the giant black dragon, which twisted through the air and let out a mighty roar. Only Duke was unimpressed; he said, "That is no stronger than your Red Eyes Black Dragon."

"His effect changes that," Kisara said. "For each Dragon Sub-Type in my Cemetery, his attack raises by 300. I have three, so his attack increases by 900. (3300/2000) He attacks Gaia."

Although the Red Eyes Darkness Dragon clearly destroyed the Gaia, Duke's platform raised a bit rather than lowering. In addition, two face-down monsters appeared on his field.

"Remember how Gaia had my Quick Squirrel's effect? When destroyed in battle, I gain 1000 Life Points, and special summon two more monsters of the same name in face-down defense mode," Duke explained.

Kisara: 5800

Duke: 5000

"Now, I assume it is my turn?" When Kisara did not respond, he continued. "I flip over my two Dark Knight Gaias, and then play Sealing Swords of Darkness to flip your monsters to face-down defense mode. None of your monsters can be brought face-up while it is on my field, and it is destroyed on my second standby phase. I also equip one of my Gaias with Battering Giant Spear. When attacking a face-down defense monster, his attack will increase by 1500. See where this is going? I attack your face-down Red Eyes Darkness Dragon with the Spear-wielding Gaia, and your Dol Dora with my other Gaia!"

While the previous Gaias had been impressive, there was something about seeing the one with the giant spear slaying the mighty dragon that sent a shiver up the spectators' spines.

Kisara: 2700

Duke: 5000

This time, the trapdoor below her dropped so swiftly and deeply that Kisara lost her footing. She would have fallen if not for the rope around her neck, which caught her and caused her to choke. Had it not been for Kazel, she might have died there, but her Soul Monster reacted at once by using her tail to latch around Kisara's waist and reposition her on the trapdoor in a secure position. Kisara shakily loosened the noose enough to be able to breathe, whispering, "Thanks."

"Whew, that was close…" Hope said.

A crash was heard behind her. She looked to see Darche had caught Draken, who looked on the verge of fainting. Catching her glance, Darche said, "Give him a moment. He was just about to panic, that's all."

"Yeah… right… that and nearly have a heart attack…" Draken managed to say.

"Are you all right now?" Kazel said worriedly.

"Yes. I can continue." Kisara positioned herself more firmly and said, "I play Early Burial to bring back my Red Eyes Black Dragon."

Kisara: 1900

Duke: 5000

Once she was assured that the trapdoor would not lower anymore, she said, "I lay a card down and attack the Gaia that is equipped with the Spear. That is all."

As if it was taking vengeance for the loss of its comrades, the Red Eyes incinerated the Gaia with relish.

Kisara: 1900

Duke: 4900

"I suppose I will have to weaken your Red Eyes before I can destroy it," Duke said. "I equip it with Flint. The monster equipped with this card loses 300 attack points and cannot attack. (2100/2000) When the monster is destroyed, it is equipped to another one, but that is a risk I am willing to take. Gaia attacks your Red Eyes!"

"I activate Emissary of Harmony to take no damage this turn," Kisara responded.

"All right. You may take your turn," Duke concluded.

Kisara looked at her hand and nodded. "I play a magic card, Immense Dragon Wing Burst. By sending a level five or higher Dragon Sub-Type to my hand, all magic and trap cards on the field are destroyed. I return my Red Eyes to do this."

"That is a devastating loss for me," Duke said. "My Treasure of the Outerworld, Spiral Shaver, and Sealing Swords of Darkness are gone, as is Flint. But that leaves you monsterless."

"Not when I summon Dark Dragon Hatchling," Kisara said. "I sacrifice it to special summon my Red Eyes Black Dragon once more. He attacks Gaia."

As before, this Gaia also met its fiery end swiftly, leaving Duke frowning slightly.

Kisara: 1900

Duke: 4800

"I lay one card down and end my turn," Duke said, bracing himself.

"I do the same, and my Red Eyes attacks directly," Kisara said.

This time, the launched fireball finally struck Duke himself. He barely managed to keep his footing.

Kisara: 1900

Duke: 2400

"As much as I would have preferred to avoid taking that damage, it could not be helped," Duke stated. "I needed to save my trap card for this turn. Now I activate it, Mythological Age. It allows me to special summon one normal monster in defense mode. Then I play a card from my hand, Fusion! By fusing Curse of Dragon with Dark Knight Gaia, I have brought out Dragon Knight Gaia!" (2600/2100)

"That's not good," Max said. "Gaia's not much of a monster to fuse with, but in this case, it's deadly."

"She has monsters that are stronger than that," Gaston said. "I am sure it will be fine."

"Dragon Knight Gaia attacks your Red Eyes Black Dragon!" Duke declared.

This time, two shrieks rang in the air as the attack made contact. One was from the Red Eyes and agonized, while the other was triumphant and from the Curse of Dragon.

Kisara: 1700

Duke: 2400

Kisara gave her hand an anxious look and drew a card, which caused her to sigh in relief. "I activate Cry of the Living Dead for my Red Eyes Black Dragon. Then I summon Fusion Sealed Life Form-Darkness. (1000/1600) When it is on the field with a Darkness Main-Type monster that has a fusion, it can act as a substitute for a component and work like the Fusion card. I fuse them to bring forth Black Demon's Dragon." (3200/2600)

"Whoa, old school battle," Rue said, gazing at the combination of Demon Summon and Red Eyes Black Dragon in awe.

"Kazel will come out as well," Kisara said. Kazel instantly went to the field, baring her teeth. "Black Demon Dragon attacks Dragon Knight Gaia, and Kazel attacks directly!"

One blast was all it took to fling the Dragon Knight Gaia from the sky. Kazel swiftly followed up, scorching Duke with a more painful fire blast than any he had ever received.

Kisara: 1700

Duke: 0

"So… this is the end. Seiryu… I am sorry for failing your trust…" With those words, the trapdoor dropped open completely, and Duke fell with it. The suffocation did not take long, and his body was left limply hanging afterwards.

Draken had gotten his senses back by this point and leapt onto Kisara's platform to help her out of the noose without falling. "Are you all right?"

Kisara lightly put a hand to her throat, which was bruised, and nodded. "Yes, thanks."

"I guess he wasn't such a bad guy after all," Rue said.

Darche went to Duke's platform and cut through the noose to lower his body and bring it to them. Once there, Draken took the opportunity to pull out Herzog's Soul Card and tear it. Doing nothing to resist, Herzog vanished.

"Can you bury him like you did with Toyah, Angela?" Larka asked.

"Yes." Angela did the same procedure as she had before, laying the old Judge to rest.

"What now? Seiryu wasn't here and Duke didn't give any hints on his location," Rue said.

"To the city then?" Miles suggested. "That's where we were going originally."

"I think that's our best bet," Brandi agreed.

Max had been sitting down for the duel. Now he tried to rise. Hope quickly helped support him, saying, "Do you feel up to moving around?"

"I've had worse," Max said. "Angela sealed the wound well enough, so I'm okay with it."

"Then we had best hurry," Will said. "Let's head there at once."

…

It was fortunate for the group that they were nowhere near the city, or they would have learned just how unhappy Seiryu was from this outcome. His roar of rage could be clearly heard through the open window for several blocks.

"Duke, gone!" Seiryu spat, slamming his fists against the windowsill. "This is beyond acceptable!"

"Hey, if you want something done, do it yourself," a voice said from the doorway.

Seiryu glared at the speaker. "I don't need you to tell me that, Kai! That's what I'm going to do now. Watch as I tear them apart! I will avenge Duke's death!" He strode angrily out of the room, leaving Kai as its sole occupant.

Kai smirked at this, saying to himself, "Everything is going according to plan."

To be continued…


	22. Truth

Writing roll? Writing roll.

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Truth**

Nothing impeded their progress towards the city, much to their relief. The trip was slow due to Max's injury, but they went at his pace, making sure he did not get worn out.

Once they had gone a short distance into the city, Zack said, "We have a problem now. Where should we start looking for Seiryu? He could be in any of these buildings."

"Yeah, this could take a while," Miles agreed. "It's not like we can check every building, but what other choice do we have?"

A roar from above answered his question. They looked up to see a black dragon with an appearance similar to a serpent's dive towards them, shooting a blast of black energy.

"Get down!" Draken yelled, pulling Kisara to the ground with him. The rest of them ducked as well, except for Angela. Her hair dove into the ground and came up in front of them, forming a shield. The blast deflected off it, leaving everyone unharmed.

That was not the end of the danger, for the dragon flew past them and went up to try a second time. When they looked at it, they managed to see that there was someone on the dragon's head.

"That's Seiryu!" Brandi said. "We saw him when he came to capture us, and that's how he rode his dragon!"

"It's an Evil Knight Dragon," Mana added. "Named Ryuujin, I think? He knocked me around pretty badly when we fought."

"We don't have much of a way to fight him like this," Max said. "With our support cards banned, he has the advantage."

"I think the best chance of success we have is to attack him in the air," Will stated. "Otherwise, he can keep diving at us like that."

"But we don't have any flying monsters… except…" Brandi trailed off as Kisara got on Kazel. "What? Kisara, you're going to fight him?"

"That's too dangerous!" Hope said. "You just got out of a duel where you were nearly strangled, and it's clear Seiryu and Ryuujin are no novices at fighting!"

"You forget that I am also skilled in aerial combat," Kazel said. "Kisara is too, for she has ridden me when I do my practices. Do not worry. We can handle this."

"You're sure you're up for it, Kisara?" Draken called up to her. "I know you're good enough to take him down most of the time, but you aren't in your best state."

"I will be fine," Kisara replied, so softly that they almost did not hear her. Then she nudged Kazel's side with her foot, similar to what one would do to a horse. Kazel sprang into the air, her wings moving swiftly to catch up to the higher Soul Monster.

Ryuujin saw her coming and shot a beam of darkness at her. Kazel flew up, leaving the beam to decimate a building in the city, and countered by attacking with a fireball. He saw it coming and twisted away, diving towards her with claws outstretched. Bracing herself for the impact, Kazel's claws met with his, and she shoved him towards the ground while simultaneously lashing out with her tail. Ryuujin recovered from the shove only to be slapped across the side by the whip-like strike, which caused him to snarl. He snapped his jaws at Kazel's left leg and managed to catch it. Roaring, Kazel responded with a fierce bite to his neck, which was far more devastating. Ryuujin spun through the air, dragging Kazel with him, and slammed into a tall building. Kisara was nearly crushed by the impact, but Kazel's wings had provided enough of a cushion to avoid hitting her back into it. The suicidal move had affected Ryuujin, although it had also served the purpose he had wanted by getting Kazel to release her grip. He flew back into the air, Seiryu masterfully keeping his balance on his head while Kazel pursued him.

"This is intense!" Rue said, watching the fight in amazement. "I never knew Kisara and Kazel were so good at this!"

"Like Kazel said, they practice. I only hope it's enough," Draken said, clearly concerned.

The chase ended with Kazel biting Ryuujin's tail. Ryuujin turned to her furiously, striking at her head with his claws and leaving a long gash across the top of her head. Kazel released her grip to slash in return, giving him a set of cuts on his side. The dragons continued to fight with fangs and claws, leaving many wounds covering their bodies. In this aspect, they were evenly matched. Realizing that, Ryuujin reared back his head to attack with a wave of darkness. Kazel took the opportunity to shoot a fireball from her mouth, which hit at the exact moment Ryuujin unleashed his attack.

A huge explosion of black and orange masked the fighters in the sky, making it impossible to see the outcome until Mana suddenly said, "Look! Over there!"

The two dragons dropped out of the smoke-covered sky, Kazel's jaws latched onto Ryuujin's throat. He clawed feebly at Kazel, showing that she had hit nothing vital yet. Kazel refused to let go despite his constant battering, and both dragons hit the ground heavily a short distance away. The group swiftly went to the location to see the outcome of the fight.

Kazel lay on top of Ryuujin; apparently he had taken the worst of the fall, for he was barely moving. Seiryu had leapt off his head and was now standing next to him, his hand at his Duel Disk. Kisara held onto Kazel's back in a death grip, still in shock at the fast and furious battle they had just fought.

"You!" Seiryu snarled at Kisara, who shrank back fearfully at his tone. "It was you who killed Duke! I won't let you get away with it!" He turned his glare to the rest of the group. "I won't let any of you get away with it!"

"You're the one who ordered Duke to face us!" Hope said angrily, which earned her a few surprised glances. Her companions had not been aware that she was this furious with Seiryu. "Duke nearly killed Max and Kisara! And that was just the most recent attack! Every Judge you sent after us came with the intent to kill. We fought for our lives, and for the lives of the innocents that the deletion affected! If you hadn't wanted Duke to die, you shouldn't have sent him!"

"You don't know what you're talking about!" Seiryu snapped. "Nor do I have any intention to enlighten you! If you refuse to die in combat, then duel me, and we'll let that decide the one who perishes!"

"Fine, I accept your challenge!" Hope realized what she was saying and glanced at the group. "If that's okay with all of you, I mean."

"Go ahead," Max said. "I think we know better than to get in your way." Everyone else nodded in agreement.

Ryuujin dragged himself upright and went next to Seiryu, ready to help in the duel despite the battering he had received. Gaston stood by Hope's side in preparation. Seeing that they were both set, Hope and Seiryu turned on their Duel Disks.

While they were doing that, Kazel staggered to the group, lying down to let Kisara off and to rest.

"You look pretty bad," Draken said in concern.

"I will recover," Kazel stated. "All I need is a little rest."

"With no support cards, that's the only thing I can give you," Kisara said anxiously.

"Do not worry about me. Hope is the one who needs your concern," Kazel stated. Realizing she was right, they turned back to watch the duel.

Hope: 8000

Seiryu: 8000

"I'm going first-" Seiryu began to say, but was cut off by Hope.

"Oh no you don't! If anything, we're deciding this fairly!" Hope said heatedly.

"Fine, fine, I'll pick a number between one and ten," Brandi said.

Seiryu rolled his eyes. "Five."

"Seven," Hope said.

Brandi indicated to Seiryu. "It was five."

"Darn it," Hope muttered as Seiryu smirked triumphantly and drew a card.

"I begin by summoning Dragonfly. (1400/900) The only other thing I do is lay a card down," Seiryu said.

When Hope saw what she had drawn, she smiled. "I lay a monster in defense and a card. That's all for me."

"Time to start tearing you apart," Seiryu threatened. "I summon Hell Dragon (2000/0) and attack your defense monster with Dragonfly!"

"It's my Big Shield Guarder. (100/2600) You don't even come close to destroying him," Hope said.

Hope: 8000

Seiryu: 6800

"His effect forces him to switch to attack mode when he is attacked though," Hope said, changing his position.

"If that's the case, I attack with Hell Dragon to destroy him!" Seiryu said.

"That's what I was hoping you'd do," Hope told him. "I activate my trap card, Assault Preparations! It allows me to switch one Magic-User or Warrior monster to face-down defense mode, so I do that with my Big Shield Guarder! Your attack makes him go to attack mode again, but you don't have any more monsters to attack with."

Hope: 8000

Seiryu: 6200

Seiryu glared at her before saying, "Although it makes no difference now, Ryuujin's Deck Master ability activates. When one of my Dragon Sub-Types fails to destroy a monster in battle, your monster loses attack and defense points equal to my monster's attack. (0/600) This only lasts until the end phase of my turn though, hence why it is pointless at this moment. Hell Dragon is destroyed when he attacks, so he goes to the Cemetery. I lay two cards down and end my turn. This means I can use Hell Dragon's other effect. By sacrificing a monster on my field-in this case, Dragonfly-he returns to my field. Go."

Hope blinked a few times, sorting out everything he had said, and then took her turn. "I switch Big Shield Guarder to defense mode and summon Goblin Strike Team. (2300/0) Goblin Strike Team attacks your Hell Dragon!"

Once the Goblins had destroyed the Hell Dragon and had their stats decreased (300/0), Seiryu said, "Since my monster was destroyed in battle, I may now activate this trap card, Hell Blast! The monster on the field with the lowest attack is destroyed, and each of us takes damage equal to half of its attack. That means your Guarder's gone!"

The Guarder exploded in a fiery blast, inflicting a bit of damage to both duelists.

Hope: 7950

Seiryu: 5850

"There isn't much I can do about that," Hope said. "My Goblin Strike Team switches to defense mode after attacking. I'm done."

Seiryu looked at the card he drew with satisfaction. "It is time to unleash my deck's true power. I summon Armed Dragon Lv 3!" (1200/900)

"A level monster?" Hope said warily as the orange dragon with metal body parts appeared.

"Correct. It appears you already know what those are," Seiryu said. "Though that should not be your immediate concern, for now I activate a permanent trap card, Dragon Rage! Whenever a Dragon Sub-Type attacks a defense monster, you take damage anyway. Once I have laid a card down, Armed Dragon attacks Goblin Strike Team!"

Hope definitely had a sense of déjà vu when it came to seeing her Goblins be torn through in defense mode to have a hard blow landed on her.

Hope: 6750

Seiryu: 5850

"You're free to take your turn," Seiryu said.

"Then I will," Hope answered. "I don't want to have to worry about you getting out a higher leveled monster, so I'm going to destroy your Armed Dragon while I have the chance! I summon Troop Commander! (1200/400) When he is summoned successfully, I can special summon a level four or lower monster from my hand to the field, so I bring out Surprising Matasa! (1300/800) Matasa attacks your Armed Dragon!"

"Afraid not. I activate Attack Nullification to negate your attack and end the battle phase," Seiryu said.

Hope winced. "I guess I'm done."

"Then you're too late!" Seiryu said. "On my standby phase, I sacrifice my Armed Dragon Lv 3 to special summon Armed Dragon Lv 5 from my deck!" (2400/1700)

Confronted by the larger dragon with red skin, gray metal parts, and spikes coming from its body, Hope said, "This will be a lot more difficult to deal with."

"I lay a card down and attack Troop Commander!" Seiryu said.

One smack from the Armed Dragon's large, metal-covered fist instantly destroyed the Troop Commander, leaving Hope with one monster.

Hope: 5550

Seiryu: 5850

"On the end phase, my Armed Dragon Lv 5's effect activates. I can sacrifice it, since it destroyed one of your monsters, to special summon Armed Dragon Lv 7 from my deck! (2800/1000) If you want to go on, take your turn," Seiryu said as Hope watched the giant orange and metal dragon roar. "Wouldn't blame you for quitting though."

"I'm not about to give up!" Hope declared, drawing. "Once you're defeated, Teknisk Wereld won't be in danger of being deleted anymore. I have to succeed in that!"

To her surprise, and the spectators' as well, Seiryu laughed at that. Once he had stopped, he said, "You really think defeating me will end this?"

"You're the head of the Judges," Rue said. "So why not?"

"Before I answer that, let me ask a question of my own," Seiryu said. "Why are you trying to defend Teknisk Wereld?"

"It's a world too," Brandi said. "One that you're trying to destroy!"

"Your actions have caused at least three people to fall into a coma," Zack stated. "Perhaps more. If Teknisk Wereld is completely lost, those people will probably remain like that until they die."

"What if other innocents get caught up in this?" Draken pointed out. "We're trying to help them too!"

"Yet you fight for Teknisk Wereld without knowing what it really is," Seiryu said.

"What do you mean by that?" Larka asked.

"Have any of you ever sat down and asked yourselves what Teknisk Wereld really is?" Seiryu inquired. Receiving no response, he continued. "Not many do. They merely think it is a virtual world that their minds can go to while their bodies remain safe. How wrong they are! Teknisk Wereld is no mere virtual world. It is actually a parallel world, one that lies beside the one we call the 'real world'. Normally, people could never access it, because their minds would always hold some doubt to its existence. So nobody was able to go in, until a certain man thought of a way to make it possible. By creating a Guardian to serve as the 'core' of this world, by designing a map of the world on a computer, by telling people it was a virtual reality they could access through machines, the man was able to have people enter this world! Their minds had been dispelled of doubts, so long as they followed the procedures and rules that went with it, such as using a Duel Disk to enter. Not many people know this, but I do, and a member of your group does." He looked at Angela. "Do you agree with me, Guardian?"

"Everything you have said so far is correct," Angela replied.

Seiryu nodded, and then said, "At first, I was going to kill that man, the creator of Teknisk Wereld, to obtain justice for the victims of it. Yet when I really thought about that, I realized something. Slaying the creator would do no good to those victims, for Teknisk Wereld would still exist to torment others. So I decided to destroy the creation itself. And who better to destroy the creation than its creator?"

"What? You mean…" Larka trailed off, unable to finish.

"That is right," Seiryu said. "Sarov Yggdrasill, the creator of Teknisk Wereld, is the one who hired us to help destroy it."

The group was silent in shock at that. All except Will, who stated, "Now I understand why he banned us from entering Teknisk Wereld for so long. Since we had defended it before, he was afraid we would do so again, thus he wanted preparation time."

"We were hired specifically to stop those who tried to interfere with the deletion," Seiryu explained. "The creator spoke of your group, and I knew we would probably face you. Your group prefers to hide behind cards, so we decided to learn how to play the game as well. We spent a year training for two reasons. One, so that we would be ready. Two, to defeat all of you at once."

"But… the creator wants to destroy the world he made? Why?" Hope said.

"I asked the same thing," Seiryu stated. "All he said was that had caused too much suffering and he wanted to end it. If you want more details, you'll have to get by me and ask him yourself!"

"Then I'll do just that! I place a monster in defense mode and a card down!" Hope said. "Do your worst."

"Not yet, but I will soon," Seiryu said. "I attack your face-down monster with Armed Dragon Lv 7!"

"I won't let you!" Hope said. "I activate Curse of Darkness to halt your monster and reduce its attack points by 700!"

"And that is something I will not let you do," Seiryu retorted. "Another permanent trap of mine will stop that, one called Dragon's Jewel. By discarding a card from my hand-I will get rid of Level Down?!-a trap targeting one of my Dragon Sub-Types is negated and destroyed. My attack goes through!"

"You destroyed my Command Knight…" Hope said, watching the Armed Dragon violently shred the defense monster apart.

Hope: 4650

Seiryu: 5850

Hope glanced at her Life Point counter before saying, "You're done? If so, I summon Female Warrior of the Wilderness (1100/1200) and end my turn."

"A foolish move," Seiryu said. "I have just drawn my most powerful monster, and thanks to him, you will perish! I sacrifice my Armed Dragon Lv 7 to special summon Armed Dragon Lv 10!" (3000/2000)

This was certainly the most threatening Armed Dragon of the lot, with dark red skin and silver metal covering its upper body. It gave a harsh, metallic roar as it spread its sharp wings.

"All of my Armed Dragons but the Lv 3 one have effects in addition to leveling up," Seiryu said. "Lv 5 and Lv 7 allowed me to discard a monster card from my hand to destroy all face-up monsters on your field with attack equal to or lower than the monster discarded. But Lv 10 allows me to discard any card to destroy all your face-up monsters. I discard Spear Dragon to do so!"

The Armed Dragon sped to the monsters, whipping two blows at them in a blur. They were sliced to ribbons in the blink of an eye.

"Then he attacks you directly!" Seiryu declared.

Hope braced herself, but it did little good to defend against the giant dragon's fierce attack. Hope was knocked over, landing on her back from the harsh strike.

Hope: 1650

Seiryu: 5850

"Are you all right?" Gaston said anxiously, helping her up.

"Yeah, thanks. I can continue. I just have to hope for the right card…" Hope drew a card and looked at it, and then smiled. "I really owe my friends for giving me such good birthday presents."

"What are you talking about?" Seiryu said, wary at her confident expression.

"I have a way to take down your monster," Hope declared. "I summon Retrained Elven Swordsman! (1400/1200) Then I equip him with Dragon-Slaying Sword! This increases a Warrior Sub-Type's attack by 700. (2100/1200) The effect I was really after, though, was that when a monster equipped with it battles a Dragon Sub-Type, the Dragon Sub-Type is instantly destroyed at the end of the battle phase! Retrained Elven Swordsman attacks Armed Dragon Lv 10!"

Although the Retrained Elven Swordsman was clearly at the disadvantage, he sliced cleanly through the Armed Dragon. It fell into two pieces, cleaved by the Dragon-Slaying Sword.

Hope: 750

Seiryu: 5850

Seiryu stared at the field in disbelief. "I can't believe you destroyed my Armed Dragon Lv 10. Wait… how is Retrained Elven Swordsman still there? He should have been destroyed anyway!"

"When battling a monster with 1900 attack or more, Retrained Elven Swordsman is not destroyed," Hope answered, still managing to stand strong despite having very few Life Points. "It's your turn."

"It's not over yet!" Seiryu said. "I play a magic card, Level Adjustment! You draw two cards, but it is worth it, as it allows me to take a monster with Lv in its name from my Cemetery and special summon it! I obviously choose my Armed Dragon Lv 10!" Seeing Hope's horrified look, he added, "I unfortunately cannot attack or use effects with that monster for this turn, but that restriction will be gone on my next one. Go ahead and make your move."

Hope considered the cards in her hand before saying, "If your Level Adjustment had not let me draw two cards, I would have been in deep trouble. As it is, I think I have what I need to win. I equip Retrained Elven Swordsman with The Fused Sword, Murasame Blade! It raises his attack by 800! (2900/1200) Then I summon Blade Knight! (1600/1000) I lay one card down, and due to only having one card in my hand, Blade Knight's attack increases by 400! (2000/1000) Retrained Elven Swordsman destroys your Armed Dragon, and Blade Knight attacks directly!"

Watching his Armed Dragon be destroyed a second time must have cut Seiryu deeply. Whether it was worse than the Blade Knight's attack or not was not something that could be guessed easily.

Hope: 650

Seiryu: 3850

"That's… impossible…" Seiryu slapped a card onto his Duel Disk. "I place a monster in defense mode… and end…"

"I have you!" Hope declared. "I summon The Magnificent Infiltrator! (1300/1200) Blade Knight attacks your defense monster!"

"My Mirage Dragon is destroyed…" (1600/600)

"The Magnificent Infiltrator attacks you directly, and Retrained Elven Swordsmen ends the duel!"

Seiryu winced as the Infiltrator's bullet made contact with him, but that was nothing compared to the painful slash the Retrained Elven Swordsmen dealt him with his two enhanced swords.

Hope: 650

Seiryu: 0

"No… I swore I would win! I swore I would avenge him!" Seiryu snarled.

"You lost," Hope stated. "It's time you accepted the consequences for what you've done."

"I refuse!" Seiryu pulled a card out and put it into his Duel Disk, vanishing with Ryuujin.

"What the hell did he just do?" Rue said in disbelief.

"There is a 96.09 percent probability he used the magic card Receding Circuit," Angela said.

"What does that do?" Mana asked.

"The user teleports to a set location in Teknisk Wereld," Angela responded.

"Then he could be long gone!" Miles groaned.

"Negative. A similar anomaly occurred in this city, approximately in Sector 5345," Angela stated.

"Can you lead us there?" Max said.

"Yes." Angela started walking down the street. The rest of the group rushed to follow, determined to end the conflict with Seiryu before he permanently escaped.

To be continued…


	23. Usurper

I would have tried to get two chapters up today, but I took a break due to feeling sick. I hope to make up for it tomorrow.

**Chapter Twenty-Three: Usurper**

With everything that had just happened, it took the group some time to straighten out their thoughts. It was Draken who finally spoke, saying, "The creator of Teknisk Wereld… I never would have guessed he was behind this."

"It makes sense though," Max said. "If anyone could delete Teknisk Wereld, it would certainly be him."

"As Will said, it also explains why he banned us from entering," Zack added.

"What did he mean by that?" Mana asked. "I heard what Will said, but I'm not getting it."

"Oh, right, you weren't there at the time," Brandi realized. "We were each banned from Teknisk Wereld until reaching the age of twenty. For instance, I was gone for three years. Hope had it worst; she was out for seven."

"And the person who decided that was Sarov Yggdrasill," Miles said grimly. "Creator of Teknisk Wereld."

"Helmer said Captain Roman had to convince him to not ban us for life," Gen recalled.

"Good point. I'd forgotten that," Gaston said.

"I don't get it!" Rue exclaimed. "What does he hope to accomplish by destroying Teknisk Wereld?"

"When we finally find him, I'm going to want an explanation for that too," Hope said.

"…Angela?" Larka said. "Your creator is the one behind all of this. What are you going to do when we meet him?"

"Protecting Teknisk Wereld is my second priority," Angela stated. "My first is self-preservation. My third is protecting the creator. If the creator is responsible for attempting to delete Teknisk Wereld, my orders will be to kill him."

"Kill him? But he's… he's like your father…" Larka said sadly, with Malon letting out a whimper at her side.

"Negative. I am a creation, thus I was never born," Angela said. "I have never met him, and if I had, I would not have felt anything about our meeting. If my protocol demands that I kill him, there is nothing to hinder me."

"I'm afraid that's actually a good thing for us," Max said to Larka, who looked torn at that statement. "We don't know how desperate he'll be. He might attack us, and if that's the case, it'd be good to have Angela on our side."

"I… I guess…" Larka said.

"We can think about that when we find him," Kazel said, her voice slightly hoarse.

Draken gave her a concerned look. "You don't sound well."

"Aftereffects of fighting that dragon," Kazel snorted, arching her wings and standing straighter. "It is not serious enough to worry over."

Seeing he was not convinced, Kisara said, "She is telling the truth."

"What about you? I thought you got crushed by a building when I was watching that!" Miles said.

Kisara shook her head. "I was not hurt."

"We're not in the best state," Will stated. "How do you feel, Max?"

"Well enough," Max answered.

"And you?" Gaston asked Hope.

"There were no Life Point conditions, so I'm fine," Hope assured.

"I'd say we're in good shape then," Neo said. "Compared to other possibilities."

"True," Darche agreed. "Are we getting close to Seiryu's location?"

"Arrival will occur in approximately five minutes," Angela responded.

"Let's just hope he doesn't move before we get there," Draken said.

…

Seiryu and Ryuujin appeared in the building where they always met, but not the usual office. The Receding Circuit had been set for the lower part of the building. This area had high windows, which provided enough light to see, but left much of the room in shadows.

"So, how did it go?"

Even as he turned, Seiryu knew who would be leaning against the wall there with his usual smirk. "I can't believe it, Kai. I lost… I lost to them…"

"What a shame," Kai said, although he did not appear to be lamenting the loss. He stood and paced across the room, not bothering to look at Seiryu as he said, "Perhaps I can take your mind off the subject for a moment. It might help you recuperate, and it would satisfy my curiosity. You see, I heard an interesting story from Pariah. It was about how you came to have the leadership of the Judges." His eyes finally met Seiryu, and despite his light-natured conversation, they were hard. "I wonder if that story is true?"

Ryuujin growled as Seiryu felt cold sweat run down his face beneath his mask. _Kai set a trap for me… and like a fool, I walked right into it…_

Kai lifted his hand, pointing at Seiryu. "I realize it would not be fair to fight you in your condition, so my proposal is this. We duel, and if I win, I take control of the Judges. Should you somehow triumph, you keep your position. Fair enough, no?"

Seiryu knew he had no choice. He nervously said, "All right. I accept your challenge."

"Feel free to use your Deck Master," Kai said, turning on his Duel Disk. "I don't need mine to beat you."

His arrogant attitude caused the small embers of anger Seiryu still carried from his loss to flare, drowning out part of his anxiety. He turned on his Duel Disk, glaring at Kai as he drew his opening hand.

Seiryu: 8000

Kai: 8000

"However, it's only fair that I go first for giving up my Soul Monster," Kai said. "I lay three cards down and end my turn."

"No monsters, yet lots of what I assume are traps. That fits with your personality," Seiryu commented. "Good thing I have the perfect monster to combat that. I summon Mirage Dragon!" (1600/600)

Kai put a hand to his Duel Disk. "I know that Mirage Dragon prevents trap cards from being activated, but that only happens during the battle phase. That is why I'll now activate my trap card, Dead Spirit Zoma. It becomes an Undead monster when activated and is special summoned in defense mode." (1800/500)

"My Mirage Dragon can destroy that easily," Seiryu said. "He attacks!"

"Indeed, it is destroyed," Kai agreed, watching the Mirage Dragon tear apart his Dead Spirit Zoma. "That is what I wanted you to do. When it is destroyed in battle, you lose Life Points equal to your monster's attack."

Seiryu: 6400

Kai: 8000

Seiryu forced himself to take a few deep breaths. _You won't win like this. Calm down and think things through._ "I lay one card down and end."

"In a better state of mind now? As convenient as it is for me to have you keep running into my traps, it is not much fun to win so easily," Kai remarked. "I lay one monster in defense, and I'll leave it at that."

Kai's words caused Seiryu to grit his teeth, but he refused to lose his focus. "I summon Spear Dragon." (1900/0)

"This seems like a good time to activate Kickback," Kai said. "When you normal summon or reverse summon a monster, I can use this trap to negate it and return the monster to your hand."

"Fine," Seiryu said. "My Mirage Dragon attacks your defense monster!"

"You have run into my Death Gremlin. (1600/1800) His reverse effect allows me to take one card from my Cemetery and shuffle it into my deck, so I do that with Kickback," Kai chose.

Seiryu: 6200

Kai: 8000

"I can't do anything else," Seiryu said reluctantly.

"I'll switch Death Gremlin to attack mode to attack your Mirage Dragon," Kai said. "That destroys them both. I lay one card down, and that's it."

"Once more, I summon Spear Dragon. Going to stop me this time?" Seiryu asked.

"No, but I will activate another trap card," Kai replied. "Cyber Shadow Gardna is another monster of sorts, although I can only bring it out on your main phase. (?/?) If attacked, its stats will match the attacker's."

"So it's suicidal to try," Seiryu realized. "But that won't stop me! Spear Dragon attacks, killing them both! I'm done."

"You rush into these situations far too often," Kai told him. "Do you enjoy leaving yourself open to attack? Either way, I summon Artemis of Harvest (1600/1700) and attack directly."

"I didn't leave myself open!" Seiryu retorted. "I activate Cry of the Living Dead to special summon Spear Dragon to my field!"

"Nice try, but not happening," Kai said. "I'll counter your special summon with Ascending Black Horn. It negates a special summon and destroys the monster. Have anything else to stop me?"

Seiryu did not have to respond, for the Artemis' strike met him unchallenged.

Seiryu: 4600

Kai: 8000

"Oh, I forgot to mention Artemis' effect," Kai added. "I draw a card every time I activate a counter trap with Artemis on the field. Hm, not bad. I'll lay this card down and let you go."

Unnerved by his unusual methods of stopping his plays, Seiryu said, "I place a monster in defense mode and a card down. That's it."

Kai smirked at Seiryu's play. "This looks like a good time to activate Avatar of Apophis, seeing as it only can be during a main phase. This too is a monster. (1600/1800) It attacks your defense monster."

"You've destroyed my Dragonfly. (1400/900) When destroyed in battle, I special summon an Air Main-Type with 1500 attack or less from my deck," Seiryu explained. "I'll bring out Armed Dragon Lv 3." (1200/900)

"I know better than to let you keep that out," Kai said. "Artemis attacks your Armed Dragon Lv 3."

"I'll stop you with Attack Nullification!" Seiryu declared. "Your attack is negated and your battle phase ends!"

Kai shook his head in a pitying manner. "Afraid not. I have another counter trap, one called Trap Jammer. It negates and destroys a trap card you activate during the battle phase. That means that in addition to my attack going through and your Armed Dragon being destroyed, I get to draw another card due to Artemis."

Seiryu: 4200

Kai: 8000

"Are you done?" Seiryu said, his voice betraying impatience and anxiety.

"For now," Kai answered.

The card he drew caused Seiryu to feel a rush of relief. "I summon Armed Dragon Lv 3 and play Level Up! on him. By placing him in the Cemetery, I can special summon Armed Dragon Lv 5 from my deck! (2400/1700) He attacks Artemis!"

Seiryu: 4200

Kai: 7200

Once the attack was done, Kai said, "Congratulations, you actually managed to damage me. That was more than I thought you would accomplish."

"You'll see what else I'm capable of now!" Seiryu said. "I'll activate my Armed Dragon Lv 5's effect! By discarding a monster card from my hand, one face-up monster on your field with the attack of the discarded monster or less is destroyed. Discarding Hell Dragon means your Avatar's destroyed!"

"I suspect you did not do that earlier for a reason?" Kai asked, slipping his Avatar of Apophis into the Cemetery.

"You suspect correctly! On my end phase, I can sacrifice my Armed Dragon Lv 5 for Armed Dragon Lv 7 since he destroyed a monster in battle! I'll get Armed Dragon Lv 7 from my deck to do so!" (2800/1000)

To Seiryu's discontent, Kai did not appear overly worried by the powerful monster. "I lay two cards down and end my turn."

"I have you now!" Seiryu proclaimed. "I sacrifice Armed Dragon Lv 7 to special summon Armed Dragon Lv 10! (3000/2000) He attacks you directly!"

"Unfortunately for you, your monster is not strong enough," Kai said. "I activate a trap card, Metal Reflect Slime. Like many of my traps, this one is a monster, and it is special summoned in defense mode." (0/3000)

"Then I'll destroy it with Armed Dragon Lv 10's effect instead!" Seiryu said. "He allows me to discard any card to destroy all of your face-up monsters, so I discard Hell Blast to do that!"

Kai's sudden, wider smirk told Seiryu he had made a terrible mistake. "Of all the traps you walked into today, this was the one that sealed your fate. I activate a counter trap, Heavenly Punishment! It requires me to discard a card from my hand, but in exchange, your monster's effect is negated, and your monster is destroyed. I discard Dark King Dragon Vandalgion to have Armed Dragon Lv 10 perish!"

"No… that can't be…" Seiryu said numbly, watching his strongest monster vanish with a roar.

"That isn't the only part of my move though," Kai went on. "Far from it! Since I used a counter trap, I can now special summon a Dark King Dragon Vandalgion from my hand!" (2800/2500)

The purple dragon that emerged temporarily robbed Seiryu of the ability to speak. Tall, well-muscled, and with small red eyes that glared at him, it was understandable. Seiryu was able to choke out one word though. "How?"

"When I use a counter trap that negates an effect of a monster, magic, or trap card, I am allowed to special summon Vandalgion from my hand," Kai said. "Depending on what I countered, three effects are possible. The other two don't matter for you, but the one for negating an effect monster I'll explain. I can special summon a monster from my Cemetery to my field. Guess who I choose?"

"Y-your other Vandalgion..." Seiryu watched in horror as the second monster appeared next to its counterpart.

Kai laughed, a laugh that was surprisingly light considering the malice behind it. "Correct! Any last moves or words?"

"I... end…" Seiryu haltingly said.

"Then you're finished!" Kai said. "Both Vandalgions attack!"

The vicious dragons struck Seiryu heavily, causing him to reel.

Seiryu: 0

Kai: 7200

"What a disappointment you were," Kai stated. "I had expected a little more from the leader of the Judges. Oh well, what's done is done. Now that the game is over, I would like you to meet my Soul Monster." He snapped his fingers.

At first, Seiryu could not tell what Kai was trying to do. Then he saw that a dark shape was looming over him and Ryuujin. His head shot up, and he could only stare in terror at the red eyes that came from the shadows and know that he was doomed.

…

"Are we nearly there? It feels like it's been a lot more than five minutes!" Rue complained.

"Negative. It has been exactly four minutes, thirty-seven seconds since that estimate," Angela responded.

Before Rue could respond, they suddenly heard an agonized scream come from a nearby building.

"What was that?" Larka said in alarm.

"Seiryu, or someone else?" Darche wondered.

"Only one way to find out!" Hope replied, running towards the building. The others swiftly went after her.

…

Ryuujin had already vanished, dead from the first strike from Kai's Soul Monster. Another attack had left Seiryu lying on the ground with three long gashes down his body, leaving him mortally wounded.

Kai slowly walked towards Seiryu, and leaned over, lifting the pieces of an object on the floor. It was Seiryu's dragon mask, now shattered from the attack he had suffered. Looking at Seiryu, Kai said, "What an honor it must be, to see the face of the almighty Seiryu."

"Kai!" Hope's cry caused Kai's gaze to dart to the door, which the group had just entered through.

"You arrived a little too early for my tastes," Kai said with a ghastly smile. "Come after me. I'll be ready to talk then." He inserted a card into his Duel Disk and vanished.

"Don't tell me that was another Receding Circuit!" Neo groaned.

"Confirmed to be Receding Circuit," Angela stated. "Set location confirmed to be Sector 3666, also known as the Demon Temple."

"Perfect for that sick bastard," Rue growled.

A soft groan from Seiryu caught their attention. Shocked at his condition, most simply stared at him. Hope managed to convince her body to move though, and knelt by him. Close-up, she could see his mask was gone, causing his extremely short, white hair and red eyes to finally be visible. Biting back her initial reaction at his wounds, she said, "Did Kai do this to you?"

"Kai… he has been manipulating me… ever since he joined the Judges," Seiryu gasped out, his eyes desperately trying to stay focused on Hope. "He even… convinced me to… take up the cause… of deleting Teknisk Wereld. I feel like… such a fool… for not seeing through his plan sooner. You are… the only ones who can… prevent the rest of his plans… from being carried out. Stop that madman… stop Kai…" His eyes closed with one last, rattling breath, leaving the group in a stunned silence.

…

"About time you finally arrived, Kai!" Alamaru said once Kai had appeared in the Demon Temple. "I told Kasmaru you'd be here soon!"

Kasmaru's glare was enough to infer that Alamaru had twisted the truth once more. Kai did not care to deal with their antics though. He glanced at the five Judges standing in the room, three males and two females. They were the only ones left besides him, but that did not concern him. These five would do for what he had in mind. Satisfied at how he had thought it out, Kai tossed one of the pieces from Seiryu's mask at Pariah. Catching it, Pariah looked at the mask, surprise showing in his expression.

"No way…" one of the females said when she noticed what Pariah held. "That group defeated Seiryu?"

"Impossible! Seiryu was far more competent than Kasmaru!" Alamaru said. Kasmaru also seemed to be having a hard time believing it and thus did not react to his brother's words.

"Not quite, Filia," Kai said to the female that had spoken. "I took care of that incompetent fool."

"Hmph. He deserved it for not being a devoted Christian," the other female sniffed.

Kai rolled his eyes. "We do not need your religious lectures, Mieko. The point is, with him out of the way, it is time to put our final plan into motion. We will make the preparations now."

The Judges' silence told him that they agreed. Satisfied at this, Kai began to outline what they would do.

To be continued…


	24. Linked

This chapter is going to ROCK your world! …You know I'm running out of things to say when I make stupid puns like that.

**Chapter Twenty-Four: Linked**

"Is… is he really…?" Larka finally said.

Hope nodded. "He's gone."

"Why?" Brandi said. "Why did Kai do that?"

"Probably to take leadership of the Judges," Will assumed. "It's very possible that if someone defeats the current leader in combat, the winner takes that position."

"Still, to kill Seiryu…" Mana said.

"He probably did that one for his own pleasure," Neo said in disgust.

"That, or he did not want any interferences with being the leader," Gen suggested.

"Maybe both. Does it matter? Either way, Seiryu's dead, and we have to stop Kai before he kills anyone else," Rue said.

"He tried to help us in his last moments," Hope said, still looking at Seiryu. "I can't help but feel a bit sorry for him."

Without a word, Angela went next to the corpse and wrapped her hair around it. Then she had it enter the ground, burying him.

"You…" Hope stopped herself, merely saying, "Thanks."

"I am happy to be of service." Angela walked towards the door, saying, "Are my orders to pursue the target?"

Larka snapped out of her daze at that. "Oh… yes, that's right."

"Affirmative." She exited the room, leaving the group to stare at where she had been.

"This is the third time she has done something from her own accord that can be related to compassion," Will stated. "These instances have all happened today."

"Are you saying something happened yesterday to make her change?" Miles asked.

"Maybe once Larka told her killing Rue was wrong, she started adjusting to more humane outlooks?" Darche offered.

"Wow, that means my death wasn't completely in vain," Rue commented.

"It never was," Draken told him. "Your more useful alter-ego came to help us, remember?"

"Just stating the obvious here, but I hate you," Rue said.

"_I tend to hate everyone, but he has redeemed himself slightly in my eyes,"_ Mephistopolis remarked. "_Remind me to have his death be quick and painless when I take over the world."_

_Hahaha-no,_ Rue replied mentally.

"Either way, Darche might be right," Gaston said. "Or maybe she has just adapted by being around us."

Larka wondered if her words from the previous night had assisted that in any way, but kept quiet about it, instead saying, "I'm just happy to see her responding like this."

"Me too. It's an improvement from being speared," Rue joked.

"As interesting as this is, we can't afford to waste any more time," Max said. "Angela's already ahead of us."

"He brings up a good point," Draken said. "Let's go after her."

They exited the building to follow Angela, who had been going at a deliberately slow pace while waiting for them to come. Once they had caught up, she strode more quickly, leading them out of town and towards the mountains.

Seeing the peaks ahead of them, Miles winced. "Without support cards, we're going to have to climb that."

"Can't we just call a few Blue Eyes to fly up?" Rue asked.

"Well… I can try…" Darche held up his sword, which began to glow blue. After a few moments, he lowered it with a sigh. "I was afraid of that."

"What's wrong?" Brandi said.

"They've been scared away by the deletion," Darche explained. "The reason they helped us before was because it happened very shortly after the deletion. By now, they've had enough time to flee for safety."

"Just our luck," Miles sighed. "I hate climbing."

"We should let the ones who cannot climb as well go first," Zack suggested. "That way we will proceed at a manageable pace."

"What about Kazel?" Neo said. "I know it'd be tiring to take everyone up, but maybe she could help some of the slower climbers up?"

"I wish I could," Kazel replied. "Unfortunately…" She stretched out her wings with a grimace, revealing several wounds on each. "Ryuujin managed to scratch up my wings. I might be able to fly after some time to recover, but it is too risky to attempt at this point."

"Ah, sorry," Neo said awkwardly. "I hadn't realized."

"That means I am doing a good job at not complaining," Kazel said lightly. "Shall we begin?"

For most of the climb, there were no problems. Miles, Gen, and Kisara had the most problems, although Hope lagged a few times. They were assisted by other, fitter group members though, which decreased the amount of delays. This continued until they were nearing the top, and were on a wider stretch of land rather than one that was drastically steep.

It was at this time that they heard a distant rumble. Angela's eyes snapped towards the sound, saying, "Disturbance detected. Identifying source…"

She did not manage to detect what it was before the source slammed into the ground a few feet to the right of Rue. The huge boulder went rolling away, leaving Rue staring after it and exclaiming, "That thing nearly killed me!"

"Identification complete. The source is confirmed to be a series of boulders," Angela stated. "There is a 78.43 percent probability that a person is responsible."

"Three guesses at what group said person came from!" Miles said, jumping away as a boulder hit the ground to his left.

The first two had come alone, as if they were being used to test the attacker's aim. The series of rocks that followed afterwards was much more serious, comparable to an avalanche. Realizing there was no way they could all be avoided, Will shouted, "Find cover! Use the stationary rocks as shields!"

Hope, Gaston, Max, Miles, and Gen were near the outskirts of the group and were able to take his advice instantly, ducking behind a large rock formation. Will took his own advice as well, with Neo right behind him. Kisara took cover with a smaller rock. Rue was not fortunate enough to be near a safe point, nor was Draken or Darche. Luckily, Ruecian reacted quickly enough to activate a barrier large enough to hold the four or them, which spared them from being crushed. Tenma and Kazel, being the largest and strongest monsters of the group, took up defensive positions around the hiding members to deflect rocks if necessary.

Brandi, Mana, Larka, Malon, and Zack had been towards the middle, thus they had the farthest to go for a safe point. Malon zipped straight to where Will and Neo were, barking frantically as the others followed. Mana was able to make it too. The other three were not so fortunate. One particularly swift boulder came flying towards Larka, one she was about to run straight into. Seeing the danger her friend was in, Brandi desperately lunged at her, knocking her away and towards the side of the path, where she landed on the ground. Her wild thrust had effectively gotten her out of the way of the same boulder, but she tripped, landing in the path of others. Zack reacted at once by flinging himself over her, and then the boulders connected. The resulting explosion of dust blinded the group, causing them to be unable to see the fate of their companions.

At the same time, one struck Kazel, who had been in a position ready to intercept it. The impact caused her wounds to flare, and her tail whipped out with a roar of agony. Tenma also managed to halt one, although without the pain Kazel went through. It was the third boulder that was the problem. It struck the rock Kisara was using for shelter with such force that it snapped off, colliding with Kisara. She shot back from the impact, going straight over the side of the mountain with a cry. Amongst all the confusion, almost nobody noticed her fall, the exception being Angela. She had been preparing to bring up a barrier against the boulders, but upon hearing Kisara, she turned and ran with extraordinary speed towards the edge and leapt after her.

Once the thunderous explosions of the boulders hitting the ground finally faded, it took a few moments for the choking dust to settle. When it did, Miles called out, "Roll call!"

"We're all right, barely," Rue said. "Good timing, Ruecian."

"Yeah, Rue, our Soul Monsters, and I made it," Draken confirmed.

"I'm okay," Hope said, coming out from behind the rock formation. "So is Gaston."

"I'll survive," Max assured. "You hanging in there, Tenma?"

Tenma had managed to completely halt the boulder coming towards him. He carefully rolled it aside and growled softly. "Yes, Master."

"We made it," Will said, referring to himself and Neo. "But that means we are missing some people."

"Kisara! Where is Kisara?" Kazel said, looking around anxiously. "I lost track of her when I was struck..."

Angela's return answered her question. With several leaps and flips, Angela came over the side, Kisara in her arms. Apparently she had used her hair as an extra set of limbs to grab rocks for support on her fall down the mountain, slowing herself down enough when she grabbed Kisara to jump off others and make her way back up.

Draken ran up to them at once as Angela set her down. "Kisara! You're not hurt, are you?"

"N-no… I'm fine… Angela saved me," Kisara answered, still in a state of shock. "T-thank you."

"I am happy to be of service," Angela answered.

Malon whined worriedly as Mana said, "That's not all we're missing! Where are Brandi, Larka, and Zack?"

"I'm here!" Larka staggered over to them, holding her left arm. "I nearly got hit, but Brandi pushed me out of the way…" She looked towards where Brandi had been when she did that, and the group members followed her gaze to a pile of rocks.

"No… they can't be beneath all that!" Hope said in horror.

"We've got to find out!" Max ran towards the rocks, but jumped back as something landed in front of him. It was a monster, one completely covered in copper armor. He had no visible weapon, but Max knew that did not mean it would be safe to try and proceed.

"I was hoping all of you would be wiped out by the initial onslaught," a voice said. The speaker came forth, showing it was a teenage girl wearing a hot pink shirt and blue jeans. Her blonde hair descended to her shoulder blades and had a pink headband keeping it back, leaving her green eyes exposed. "This will work as well though."

"Who are you?" Rue demanded.

"I am a Judge, and my name is Filia," the girl said. "My Soul Monster is Gattai, a Union Rider. Don't be fooled by his appearance; he will stop you if you try to go past this point."

"If you continue to try and block us, we'll attack you, Soul Monster or not," Hope threatened. "If our friends are still alive, they need our help!"

"That can wait." Filia held up her Duel Disk. "Realize that if they have managed to keep their lives, they will certainly lose them if I activate one of my support cards on the rocks. They would collapse and crush the victims."

"Then what do you want from us?" Max snapped.

"A duel to decide who survives and who dies," Filia stated. "I do not care who I face. Pick as you wish."

"I will," Draken said.

"Draken? Why you?" Rue asked.

"Max and Larka aren't in a good state to duel, seeing as who is in danger this time," Draken explained. "That leaves me as the only person who has an agenda with her that can duel with a clear head."

"Oh? An agenda, you say?" Filia inquired.

"Your attack nearly killed Kisara. That's not something I can let you get away with!" Draken declared, activating his Duel Disk.

"D-Draken…" Kisara said, blushing at his statement.

"Interesting," Filia said. "If you are ready, we shall begin."

"The sooner the better," Draken said grimly, drawing his opening hand. "Depending on whether they survived or not, we might be on a time limit."

As they prepared for the duel, Hope said, "Are you all right, Larka? Your arm looks pretty bad."

Larka lifted her bloody arm, wincing. "It hurts, but I'm in a much better state than I would have been if Brandi hadn't interfered. I hope she is okay… I hope they're both okay…"

"I'm sure they are," Hope assured. "Let's tend to your wound. Letting you remain injured won't help them."

Angela had gone next to them as they talked. When she saw Larka's arm, a tendril of hair instantly extended to wrap around it, forming a bandage of sorts.

Looking up in surprise, Larka said, "Thanks, Angela."

"I am happy to be of service," Angela said for the third time that day. What caught Larka's attention was that compared to the other day when she had said it, her tone did not seem quite as emotionless as before.

Draken: 8000

Filia: 8000

"I'm going to make this quick!" Draken said. "I lay a monster in defense mode and a card down. That's all."

"Your actions could have fooled me," Filia commented. "I'll summon Rotting General. (1000/1500) His effect allows me to special summon a Zombie Tiger from my hand when he is summoned successfully." (1300/1600)

"Great, now Will's going to be on her side," Rue muttered. "OW!"

"I know our priorities," Will said shortly, removing his book from Rue's head.

"Do you know what Union monsters are?" Seeing Draken shake his head, she explained, "I can equip a Union monster to its counterpart to power up that monster, similar to equipping a magic card. I equip Zombie Tiger to Rotting General, which raises his attack by 500. (1500/1500) Rotting General attacks!"

"You've destroyed my Dol Dora." (1500/1200)

"That means the second effect gained from having my Union goes off," Filia said. "When Rotting General destroys a monster in battle with Zombie Tiger equipped, a random card in your hand is discarded. Get rid of the one to your right."

"My Brain Control is gone," Draken said tensely.

"Good. Now I activate an instant magic card, Combination Attack!" Filia announced. "I can use it on a monster equipped with a Union that attacked this turn. The Union monster is unequipped and my other monster can attack again. Rotting General attacks directly!"

The Rotting General's sword whipped out swiftly, catching Draken across the chest.

Draken: 7000

Filia: 8000

As Draken's Life Point counter decreased, the ground beneath him suddenly started to crack. Alarmed, Draken said, "What's happening?"

"This is the Life Point condition of our duel," Filia stated. "The loser will fall through the ground to their death. Call it generosity; you will be given a burial, unlike my friend."

"Your friend?" Larka asked.

"That's why I oppose Teknisk Wereld," Filia said grimly. "My best friend was killed by a volcano eruption when it was said to be a safe area. The fact is, this world is anything but safe. It has to go, as do those who defend it! When Rotting General attacks you directly, you lose a card in your hand. Get rid of the one to your left."

"I lose my Sapphire Dragon," Draken said. He did not want to argue with Filia's viewpoint. It would only take up precious minutes that he could not afford to waste.

"Once I lay two cards down, you may go," Filia concluded.

"On your end phase, since Dol Dora was in my Cemetery, he returns to my field with stats set at 1000. (1000/1000) Then I activate Cry of the Living Dead for my Sapphire Dragon." Draken smiled slightly. "I have to thank you for discarding him, or this wouldn't have worked. Now I can sacrifice both of my monsters to summon a Blue Eyes White Dragon! (3000/2500) He attacks your Rotting General!"

"I'm not going to let you do that," Filia countered. "I activate a trap card, Formation Union. It allows me to either unequip a Union monster or equip one. I equip Zombie Tiger to Rotting General. When you attack Rotting General, I take full damage, but Zombie Tiger is destroyed instead."

Draken: 7000

Filia: 6000

"Don't start ranting towards her," Neo said to Will.

"I won't," Will said, his eye twitching. "I won't."

"Same difference for me," Draken said. "I lay one card down and end."

Filia was still calm despite how the ground beneath her was now cracked. "I activate my other trap card, Get Ride! It fetches a Union monster from my Cemetery to equip to its corresponding monster. I'll take Zombie Tiger to put on Rotting General. Then I summon Blood Orchis! (1700/1000) I will now have Gattai use his Deck Master ability. By discarding a Union monster from my hand, such as this Second Goblin, I can take one of your monsters to equip to one of my monsters. The equipped monster's stats increase by the amount of the monster equipped. I'll take your Blue Eyes and equip it to Blood Orchis! (4700/3500) Blood Orchis attacks!"

"I am very glad I can stop that," Draken said. "Attack Nullification halts your attack and ends the battle phase."

"Too bad," Filia said, frowning. "I end my turn."

Draken tensely looked at his next card and wiped away some sweat on his brow. "Thought I was a goner for a few minutes there, but this'll save me. I summon Spear Dragon (1900/0) and play a magic card, Stomping Crash! It destroys a magic or trap card on the field and deals 500 damage to the opponent. I'm assuming that since my Blue Eyes is now in the magic and trap card zone, I can use it on him as well."

"You are right…" Filia admitted reluctantly, watching the Spear Dragon crush away the power-up she had been given.

Draken: 7000

Filia: 5500

"To finish my turn, Spear Dragon attacks Blood Orchis!" Draken said. "He has to go to defense mode after attacking, but that's not something that can be helped."  
Draken: 7000

Filia: 5300

"You have left yourself exposed," Filia told him, not even glancing at the ground. "Since you do not have any cards in your hand, I unequip Zombie Tiger to have Rotting General attack Spear Dragon. Zombie Tiger attacks you directly."

The raking claws had a noticeable effect on Draken's Life Points. If nothing else, it showed by a fresh wave of cracks appearing beneath him.

Draken: 5700

Filia: 5300

"If that's all for you…" Draken drew and instantly placed the card down. "One card and that's it."

"It's time to tear you apart," Filia declared. "I summon Heat Beast!" (1500/1000)

"No way am I letting you get away with that!" Draken said. "I activate Tidal Wave to destroy all of the monsters on the field!"

"How annoying…" Filia growled. "I end."

"Lucky you," Draken said. "I have to pass."

"I am not that fortunate," Filia stated. "I lay my monster in defense mode and end."

"I'm going to do the exact same thing, actually," Draken said, copying her.

"Fine. I lay another monster down. Go," Filia said.

The spectators watched anxiously, afraid that if Draken did not do something soon, the duel would drag out too long. He managed to dispel some of their fears by saying, "Now I can take the offense! I flip summon Ally of Justice Kaibaman (200/700) and sacrifice it to special summon a Blue Eyes White Dragon from my hand! My Blue Eyes attacks your new monster!"

Filia calmly sent it to the Cemetery. "My Death Dendol is destroyed." (300/2000)

"That's all I can do for this turn," Draken said.

When she saw what she drew, Filia's grim look became a bit brighter. "I flip over my Black Dragon (900/600) Then I play a magic card, Forced Transfer. We each pick a monster and they get swapped. Since we both only have one monster to exchange, you get my Black Dragon while I receive your Blue Eyes White Dragon."

"This isn't going to be pretty," Draken said with a wince.

"Then I summon Union Rider. (1000/1000) He allows me to take one Union monster on your field to equip to him," Filia said. "I'll take Black Dragon to give him. It doesn't increase his stats, but if you destroy him in battle, Black Dragon will die instead. Both of my monsters attack you directly!"

Of all the direct attacks to take, Draken found that suffering from one of his Blue Eyes White Dragon's blasts was about as bad as it could get. He stayed upright, but was temporarily blinded and had to rub his eyes a few times to clear them from the white lighting attack. Compared to that, the Union Rider's blow was hardly anything.

Draken: 1700

Filia: 5300

This time, Draken could feel the ground shift beneath him as it weakened. He forced himself to not look at it and betray his nervousness. Instead, he drew, and sighed in relief. "I summon Knight of White Dragon (1900/1200) and sacrifice him to special summon a Blue Eyes White Dragon from my deck!" Seeing Filia's confused look, he added, "Darche's Deck Master ability allows me to summon Knight of White Dragon without the ritual. The Blue Eyes doesn't have to wait to attack either, but that won't matter this turn since I'm playing Burst Stream of Destruction! I can only use it when I have a Blue Eyes on the field, but it destroys all of your monsters!"

Appearing stunned at that move, Filia said, "I…I lay a monster down."

"We both pretty much don't have a hand, so I know it's all but over for you," Draken said. "I summon another Spear Dragon and attack your defense monster!"

"My Dark World Warrior Dark Sword is destroyed…" (1800/1500)

"That means you lose 400 Life Points," Draken informed her. "When Spear Dragon attacks a monster in defense mode, he still does damage. My Blue Eyes attacks directly!"

Draken: 1700

Filia: 1900

Grimacing from the attack and the condition of the ground below her, Filia drew. Seeing what it was, she shook her head. "All is lost… I summon Glacier Beast (1500/1000) and attack Spear Dragon. There's nothing else I can do…"

"I'm going to end this now!" Draken said. "I didn't draw a monster, but I can bring out my Deck Master. My Blue Eyes attacks your Glacier Beast, and Darche attacks directly to finish it!"

Draken: 1700

Filia: 0

"I've… failed…" Filia sighed, closing her eyes. "I should have known you would fight more fiercely to protect your friends. After all, you are trying to save them. I was… fighting for a memory…"

The ground beneath her and Gattai finally gave in, and they abruptly fell into a large pit that formed. It sealed once they were gone, leaving nothing to show that they had ever been there.

"That's that," Draken said, turning to the group. "Come on, we've got to see if they've made it!"

He met no arguments about that as the group rushed to the pile of rocks. Larka put her hands against one of them as she desperately called in, "Brandi, Zack! Please, answer me! Are you there?"

To their great relief, a voice that they recognized as Zack's responded faintly. "Larka! We're both here, but Brandi's unconscious. I think she fainted from air loss. I'm trying to keep these rocks from shifting, but I don't know how much longer I can manage to do that!"

"Don't worry, we're going to help!" Larka assured. "Just hold on for a bit more!"

Hearing that his sister could still be saved got Max to take action. "Tenma, help shift these rocks! Make sure that they don't wind up crushing the two of them!"

"At once, Master." Tenma began to pull one of the large rocks off the pile.

"I can help too," Kazel said, latching her claws around another one to move.

To their surprise, Ruecian silently went to one and started to roll it off the pile. Catching their looks, Rue shrugged. "Well, he is strong."

"It's better than standing by and watching," Gaston said, going to assist Ruecian. Darche and Neo did as well, leaving the other Soul Monsters to wait with their human companions anxiously.

Although they worked quickly, it seemed like ages before enough of the rocks were finally moved to expose the two that had been trapped. Thanks to Kazel's long neck, she was able to look in to see them. Zack was still holding back one rock that looked about ready to drop on Brandi, who lay next to him and did not move. Catching sight of her peering in, he said, "Quick, have Mana get her. There should be enough room now!"

"Right away. Mana!" Kazel called. "Come through here and retrieve them to lessen the risk, please. Everyone else, get out of the way!"

The group hastily went higher up the mountain and out of the path of the rock mound while Mana carefully floated through the entrance. She grabbed each of their arms and teleported to the group. With Zack's support gone, the rocks instantly slid down the mountain, showing what a narrow escape it had been.

"Whew, that was close!" Miles said. "Glad to see you both made it."

"Did we?" Zack said, giving Brandi an anxious look. "I think she just passed out, but…"

Mana was already tending to her by putting her mouth to Brandi's and breathing in to give her CPR. A few tense moments later, Brandi coughed, and her eyes opened. "What… happened…?"

"What a relief!" Larka said, finally able to relax. "You were both trapped under several rocks, and we thought you might have died!"

"Nah… I'm not that easy to kill," Brandi said, sitting up and smiling to reassure her.

Larka laughed at that, reassured by her easy manner. "Thank you for saving me. If it hadn't been for that…"

"Don't even think about blaming yourself," Brandi said sternly. "I chose to do that." She looked towards Zack. "Before I passed out, I thought I saw you shielding me. Looks like I needed saving myself. Thanks."

"I'm just glad to see you're all right," Zack stated. "What happened while we were under there?"

"Draken dueled a Judge, and he won," Gen explained. "Not much else other than that."

"We were lucky to get out of that in one piece," Gaston said. "Hopefully the next Judge won't have an ambush like that set up."

"Indeed," Will stated. "Either way, we have to go on. Is everyone ready?"

"As ready as we can be," Brandi said. The rest of the group seemed to agree to that, so they set off once more.

To be continued…


	25. Fanatic

I still cannot quite believe I really wrote this chapter. Hope at least a few people get laughs out of it.

**Chapter Twenty-Five: Fanatic**

While hiking the rest of the way up the mountain, Neo remarked, "I don't understand how Brandi ran out of air while Zack didn't."

"I don't breathe," Zack said shortly.

"Oh. Huh," Neo said, considering the possibilities of that.

"I'm more amazed at how long Zack was able to keep those rocks in one position," Rue said. "That must have been hard as heck to pull off!"

"It wasn't that impressive," Zack said awkwardly.

"Just because you won't admit it doesn't mean it wasn't," Draken remarked.

Towards the back of the group, Mana noticed Brandi looked worried. "Is something wrong?"

"Oh… I'm concerned about the baby," Brandi admitted, putting a hand to her stomach. "Obsidian's torture might have permanently affected him or her somehow, and nearly suffocating definitely didn't help."

"Well… there isn't anything we can do about that," Mana said regretfully. "Try not to think about it too much. When this is all over, we'll worry about it then, okay?"

"Okay," Brandi agreed.

It was a relief to them all when they finally reached the top of the mountain. The Demon Temple stood before them, as forbidding as ever. Steeling themselves, they walked towards the long steps that led to it.

The group did not get a chance to ascend them though, for a woman stood there. She wore a white priestess' robe with an enormous wooden cross around her neck and a copy of the Bible under her arm. Her black hair was wrapped against the back of her head in a bun, and her brown eyes searched them scathingly.

"Sinners, how dare you come forth to spread your vile ways!" the woman said viciously. "Instead of searching for a house of God, you trek towards an empire of the Devil! Entering this demonic building will seal your fate and give you a permanent location in Hell, where you shall burn for all eternity!" She spread out her arms, her glare receding. "However, I am a devoted servant to God, and I know that you can be forgiven! We are all children of God, and I will help send you to Him, where the afterlife is one of goodness! If you are so badly duped by the Devil's words, I will purify your souls, and show you the way to the realm of light! I cannot harm you, kin of mine, but I shall overcome you in nonviolent means to convert you to Christianity!"

The group stared at her in a dumbfounded silence, until Rue said, "…Could you repeat all-"

Draken hurriedly covered Rue's mouth as Miles said, "Uh, you're basically challenging one of us to a duel, right?"

The woman gave him a horrified look. "Of all the tainted people in this party, you are one of the ones most emerged in dark deeds! Face me, young one, and I shall cleanse you of your sins. There is still hope for you, so face me! I will destroy the Devil within you!"

"…I think she wants to duel you," Draken said to Miles.

"Gee, thanks," Miles said, eye twitching. "Nice to know I have a Christian fanatic translator here. Doesn't look like I have much choice though. Fine, woman, let's duel. Who are you?"

"The name of this humble servant of God is Mieko," she replied, bringing out a Soul Card. A woman appeared, one wearing a blue robe and white nun's hood. She had a small gold chain around her neck and held a small, wooden cross while she kept her eyes closed. "My partner in spreading the Lord's word is Dory."

"That's a Merciful Nun," Max said. "Fitting for her."

"I'm Miles, and he's Gen," Miles said, activating his Duel Disk. "Let's get this over with."

Mieko gave Gen an incredulous look. "A White Thief? If that is the true color of your soul, this will be my greatest challenge yet. I shall prevail though, for the sake of your soul!"

"I'm sure you will," Miles said, rolling his eyes.

"I can already tell this is going to be hilarious to watch," Draken commented. "Let's sit back and enjoy it. We could use the rest after that stressful rock fall incident."

"No kidding," Hope said.

Miles: 8000

Mieko: 8000

"Show me who you truly are with your actions," Mieko said.

"Uh, you're letting me go first? All right," Miles said. "Gen, you know what to do!"

"I sure do," Gen answered, vanishing. Mieko stared in shock as he reappeared with a card that he handed to Miles.

"Gen's Deck Master ability only works once per game. I get to take one card from your hand and use it as my own until it's destroyed," Miles said.

"So you really are a thief at heart!" Mieko accused.

"Yeah, I thought you had already figured that out," Miles said, gazing at the card. "Gravity Bind? Great, that probably means it won't be of much help against you. Oh well. I lay down two cards and summon Century Thief." (1000/1000)

"One of the worst sins one can commit is thievery," Mieko lectured as she drew. "It is an evil, despicable, wicked act of the Devil that you should never-"

"Not meaning to break into your lecture here, but I use Lost Property," Miles said. "Discard the card you just drew."

Mieko flared at that. "Even your deck is based around your disgusting acts! I lose my Goblin Skillful Management, but it matters not, for I activate Dory's Deck Master ability! Once per turn, I may discard a card from my hand that mentions drawing cards and draw three more. I must atone for my actions by skipping my next draw phrase, yet it is a worthy price to pay! I discard Remains of Yatagarasu to draw three cards! Then I summon Muka-Muka!" (600/300)

"It doesn't look that strong," Miles said.

"With the help of the Lord behind it, Muka-Muka can defeat you!" Mieko said triumphantly.

"Describe that in card game terms please," Miles requested in an annoyed tone.

"For each card in my hand, Muka-Muka's stats increase by 300. I have five, so they increase by 1500! (2100/1800) Muka-Muka attacks!"

The rock monster easily tore apart Miles' Century Thief, leaving nothing behind.

Miles: 6900

Mieko: 8000

As his Life Point counter lowered, a light suddenly surrounded Miles, and then vanished. He blinked, saying, "This is going to sound like the dumbest question I have ever asked, but I am completely serious when I say this. Why do I have a sudden urge to really believe in God?"

"Say _what?_" Rue and Draken chorused while the rest of the group gave Miles extremely odd looks.

"I would never set barbaric conditions to losing one of these games, especially something like death!" Mieko said. "If I lose, I will not interfere with your mission, and you will join the Devil in Hell. If you lose, you will be converted to Christianity and be saved!"

"…Oh _hell _no," Miles said in disbelief. "There is no way I am joining your cult you psychotic Bible-obsessed freak!"

Some of the spectators were unsure of how to react to that. Rue and Draken, on the other hand, burst out laughing at Miles' horrified expression.

"Is it wrong that I feel like joining them?" Hope asked.

"Not one bit," Max answered, smirking.

"You use such vulgar language!" Mieko said to Miles. "By the end of this, you will never feel the urge to utter words like that again! I lay three cards down and play Limitless Hand, and then allow you to take an action."

"I'm assuming Limitless Hand allows you to hold an infinite amount of cards in your hand," Miles said. "Not that it matters when you only have one card, since that means your Muka-Muka's weakened! (900/600) I summon Falcon Knight (1000/700) and attack!"

"God will protect me from your assault, for I now bring out Blessing of God!" Mieko said. "Each time I draw, I gain 500 Life Points. Then I use two Careless Avarices! Each one allows me to draw two cards so long as I skip my next draw phase!"

Miles watched as her Muka-Muka powered up again. (2100/1800) "Drat," he muttered as his Falcon Knight was torn apart.

Miles: 5800

Mieko: 9000

When the light came and faded from around Miles, he blinked and said, "That's strange. I thought I'd be more worried about losing my Life Points. I suppose I need not be concerned though, for God is watching over me."

While there were still quite a few people who stared in incredulity, more were joining the snickering side of Rue and Draken.

"Yes, you are beginning to realize what the truth of life is!" Mieko said. "I discard Magic Locomotive Dekoichi to draw three cards! Then I summon Masked Automaton. (900/1400) Forgive me, for this is for your own good... he attacks directly!"

"No way!" Miles said, breaking out of his musing state. "I activate your own Gravity Bind to halt him!"

Mieko held up her hand of six cards. "Muka-Muka will make you see the light then!" (2400/2100)

Miles was knocked back as the Muka-Muka collided with him, causing Gen to grab his arm before he fell.

Miles: 3400

Mieko: 9500

Once Gen had helped Miles straighten and the light had done its work, Miles said, "I would normally thank you, my former comrade. However, you have taken a path I now cannot. The ways of a thief are wrong, so wrong that I cannot believe I ever thought it was the right thing for me to do."

"…I really hope this wears off soon," Gen said mournfully as Rue fell over from laughing.

"Wears off? God's teachings do not simply 'wear off'," Miles said scornfully. "They are ingrained into me for life, as it should be. It is my job, as one of His children, to learn His lessons."

"Miles? It is your turn," Gen pointed out, disregarding the mirth the spectators showed at Miles' last statements.

"Ah, that is correct. I will pass," Miles said.

"Before you continue…" Hope said. "Tell me, why do you want to destroy Teknisk Wereld? I'd think you'd want it intact to save lives."

"This world was wrought with unholy hands!" Mieko proclaimed. "The sinners who created this world were vainly attempting to mimic the Lord! This creation and their designers deserve to burn in Hell for all eternity! I am helping to destroy this world so that no more innocents will fall victim to its tainted ways!"

"In other words, she's a nutcase," Brandi muttered. "But we already knew that."

"I discard Vase of Greed for three cards, and sacrifice Masked Automaton for Enraged MukaMuka! (1200/600) For each card I hold, his stats increase by 400!" Mieko said, displaying her seven cards. (2700/2400) (4000/3400) "Alas, my own Gravity Bind forbids me from freeing you, yet I shall come one step closer! Muka-Muka attacks!"

This time, Miles was knocked on his back by the assault. Gen swiftly pulled him back up.

Miles: 700

Mieko: 10000

"Are you all right?" Gen asked Miles once the light had faded.

"This pain is not nearly enough!" Miles exclaimed. "For all the sins I have committed, no amount of pain could ever make up for it! Oh, the crimes I have done against my kin, all for petty desires of mine. I have succumbed to so many sins… so many sins… how can I ever repent?"

"Confess them," Mieko said. "God will forgive those who wish to be forgiven."

To the astonishment of the group, Miles got on his knees and clasped his hands in prayer, saying, "Oh God, please hear my sins and forgive them. I am sorry for burning down my home town, sorry for slaying those duelists who were merely misguided, sorry for constantly stealing money from Rue…"

"HEY!" Rue protested from the sidelines.

"Where's a video camera when you need it?" Draken said, gasping for breath after laughing so hard.

"Miles, you can pray for forgiveness _after_ the duel!" Gen said, pulling him up once more.

"It would not be right to put this servant of God through any more trouble," Miles said, his eyes glazed. "I should forfeit, to repay her for helping me see the light…"

Gen quickly thought of an excuse to keep him from doing that. "This is a test to see if you are worthy of serving God too. You have to beat her in a duel."

"I see," Miles said in a voice far too calm for him. "In that case, I will…" He hesitated. "This card utterly vile! Why is this in my deck? It goes against the Lord's will-"

"Miles, for the love of the God you are preaching, play the darn card!" Gen said, snatching it out of his hand and thrusting it onto his Duel Disk. "He is done."

"Very well. I discard Metamol Pot to draw three cards. Then I equip Enraged MukaMuka with Demotion, to lower his level by two." Mieko glanced at the eight cards she held. (3000/2700) (4400/3800) "Muka-Muka attacks your monster!"

"God forgive me for using this monstrosity," Miles said, shuddering as he flipped it over. "Soul-Hunting Spirit. (300/200) He cannot be destroyed in battle. A card effect targeting him will do so immediately."

"Do not worry, God will forgive you for this sin," Mieko assured. "I am done."

Miles: 700

Mieko: 10500

"How tempting it is to simply stop this struggle," Miles said, gazing at the cards he held. "This eternal strife will only result in more pain and death. Why not stop?"

"Miles, are you really thinking of quitting?" Rue called.

Miles shook his head at the group. "All of you are so blind to reality. My vision is now clear! Once I have repented and serve God, I shall bestow the same revealing light upon each and every one of you, to save your souls!"

"The saddest thing is that he believes what he's saying," Mana commented.

"Amen, no pun intended," Neo agreed.

"I lay one card down and end my turn," Miles said.

"I discard Royal Magic Library for three cards," Mieko said, now holding ten. (3600/3300) (5200/4600) "That is all."

Miles: 700

Mieko: 11000

"I will pass," Miles said, his voice distant.

"I discard Mimic of Darkness Lv 1 for three cards, nothing more," Mieko said with twelve cards. (4200/3900) (6000/5400)

Miles: 700

Mieko: 11500

"I must pass once more," Miles said.

The group watched in disbelief as the next three turns held the exact same pattern, with Mieko's hand going from twelve to fourteen to sixteen to eighteen. And still after all of this, Miles passed.

Mieko finally broke the pattern by saying, "I play Jar of Covetousness to shuffle five monsters into my deck and draw two cards. I discard Masked Automaton to draw three cards. Then I equip your satanic Soul-Hunting Spirit with a Demotion!" The Soul-Hunting Spirit blew up, leaving Mieko's two monsters as the only ones on the field, powered up by the twenty cards in her hand. (6600/6300) (9200/8600)

Staring at the amount of cards Mieko held in amazement, Rue said, "Draken! What does the scouter say about his power level?"

Catching on to what he meant, Draken instantly replied, "It's over NINE THOUSAAAAAND!"

"What! Nine thousand?" Rue exclaimed.

"Once again, I find myself hating them," Brandi muttered as several other people gave the duo confused looks.

Miles: 700

Mieko: 14000

"Enraged MukaMuka frees you!" Mieko said as the rock monster rushed towards him.

For a moment, it seemed Miles would let the attack go through. But some hidden instinct must have awoken in him, for he flipped over his trap card. "I activate Attack Nullification to negate your attack!"

"And here I was so close to releasing you," Mieko sighed. "It shall have to wait one more turn."

Miles gazed at his overflowing hand distractedly. "I should let myself fall now…"

"Miles, remember, you want to win this!" Gen said. He looked at Miles' hand and blinked. "You can even win now! Just play that card!"

"Will God forgive me for defeating His servant?" Miles asked doubtfully.

"He is testing you, so of course!" Gen assured. "All you have to do is play that magic card."

"If that is the Lord's will," Miles said, sliding the card into his Duel Disk. "I play Hand Obliteration! We both discard all of the cards in our hand and draw an amount equal to the number discarded!"

When Mieko slid all twenty of her cards into the Cemetery and tried to draw twenty more, she found that she could not. There were simply not enough cards left in her deck.

Miles: 700

Mieko: Decked Out

"Oh God, I failed to save this young man from Hell, but I failed!" Mieko cried. "I shall repent, my Lord!" Without any further words, she ran off the steps and to the mountain side, leaping off. Dory shortly followed her, and they were lost from sight.

"…Did she just kill herself?" Gaston said in disbelief.

"Looks that way," Will said, his eyebrow raised. "All in all, that was a very… interesting… experience."

A groan from near the steps caused them to look up and see that Miles had fallen to his knees. Gen was next to him, saying, "Miles? Are you hurt?"

"Physically, no. Mentally, I AM SCARRED FOR LIFE!" Miles shouted, slapping his hands over his face. "Toss me over the mountain edge so that I can die too. After that experience, it would be preferable to living out the rest of my life!"

"Aw, don't be like that," Draken said with a grin. "I thought you made a good priest."

"Yeah, you've found yourself a new profession!" Rue joked.

"Kill me now," Miles moaned, sounding as if he wished for nothing more than to sink into the ground.

"For your information, we are never going to let you forget this," Brandi said with a laugh.

"That's the entire problem," Miles answered, still not looking up.

Larka took pity on their traumatized friend and said, "At least you managed to clear the way, Miles. Now we can go on."

"Right. We have to go in there to confront Kai," Zack reminded him.

"Are you going to let embarrassment get in the way of saving Teknisk Wereld?" Draken asked.

Miles stood up, glaring at him. "Of course not!"

"Then there you go," Hope said. "Worry about how we'll torment you after we deal with Kai."

With a sigh, Miles said, "Can't we just say that never happened?"

"That would be too easy," Draken said.

"I was afraid you'd say that," Miles muttered. Then he said to Gen, "Either way, thanks for keeping me in line. I shudder to think about what would have happened if you hadn't."

"It is a relief to see you are back to normal," Gen stated.

"I think we all agree to that," Darche said.

"I don't know… I think he did pretty well with his religious rants…" Max said, smirking.

"Thanks a lot," Miles said before turning to the Demon Temple. "If you're going to blackmail me, do it later, okay? Right now, we have to move on."

Angela had been silent for the entire incident. Seeing that the group was interested in their mission once more, she stated, "Location found. Will enter the premises now."

"Let's go," Hope said grimly, starting to walk up the steps. Everyone else did as well, silently anticipating what would happen next.

As they did, Rue whispered to Miles, "Do you really steal money from me?"

"No. Well. Occasionally. Sometimes. Maybe. …Yeah, I do," Miles said, grinning sheepishly.

"Mental note: ask Mephistopolis to carry through with his threat of eating your liver," Rue grumbled.

"_Remind me to do that the next time you let me out,"_ Mephistopolis advised. "_I would be glad to then."_

They soon arrived at the archway leading into the temple with its doors already wide open. Giving the Chess Demon statues wary glances, the group slowly entered the dark building, mentally preparing themselves for what they might find.

To be continued…


	26. Cause

Last day of my break, but I am using it to its fullest potential!

**Chapter Twenty-Six: Cause**

Nothing had changed inside the dark temple from what those who had been there before could see. The light provided by the torches on the walls showed the chess designs as usual, with the demons doing battle on the walls. The group barely spared them a glance though, for the sole occupant of the temple was what had their undivided attention.

"It has been a while since I last saw you," Kai commented, facing them from across the room. "How did you like weeding out the pathetic Judges to get this far?"

"Unlike you, we're not sadistic murderers!" Draken said.

"The way your group has nearly succeeded in completely wiping out the Judges could have fooled me," Kai replied.

"They set the conditions, not us," Brandi said.

"It's not like we were just going to surrender and let them kill us!" Rue said.

"Yet you were the ones who, in the end, slew them. You cannot deny that." Kai's gaze turned to Larka. "I should also ask if you enjoyed the treatment Crucio gave you. It was my idea, after all."

Larka tried to respond, but found her voice locked from fear. Zack had no such problems, for he responded by snarling, "You were the one who did that?"

"Naturally. Seeing as she was the one who slew my brother, I only thought it fair that I make her suffer," Kai stated. "I knew Crucio would be the right one to have do it. He was once an official, you know, but he got fired for carrying out experiments that were apparently too cruel. That should tell you why he was even in our group in the first place. When it came to the mind, he was top-notch at torturing, so it was clearly the best choice for making her suffer."

"You…!" Zack started to say.

Although Hope was angry enough herself, she knew they would get nowhere by being riled by him. She quickly cut off Zack to say, "Why did you do all of this? Why have us kill other Judges?"

"The vast majority of the Judges you killed were useless and weak, ones I did not wish to deal with myself," Kai explained. "I wanted them to be dealt with before I returned to the group to claim leadership. I suppose you deserve thanks for making my work easier, even when it came to Seiryu."

Hope's eyes narrowed at that. "You went on this whole mission for Teknisk Wereld just to seize Seiryu's position?"

"Not only that," Kai responded. "Other than wanting leadership and desiring revenge against a certain individual in your group, I have indeed been working towards Sarov's goals this entire time." He paused, looking up thoughtfully. "Oh, did I say something I shouldn't have? Maybe you didn't know who was responsible for this deletion!"

"We knew," Will said shortly. "Seiryu told us."

"Ah, good. I would have… hated… to spoil it for you," Kai said sarcastically. "But yes, I was in this to assist with his goals. Now it time I fulfilled my part of the bargain." His hand shot up, pointing at Angela. "Guardian, I challenge you to a duel!"

"What? He knows Angela can duel?" Neo said in surprise.

"Sarov probably told him," Will answered.

"But why Angela?" Larka asked nervously, which summed up what everyone else basically wanted to know.

"I think it only fair that Angela herself duels to preserve her life, if you can call it a life," Kai said. "As for my payment… let's just say I'll take that later." He coldly eyed Larka, who shrank back fearfully, and then Max, who returned it steadfastly. Returning his gaze to Angela, he said, "Do you accept?"

"Yes," Angela said, stepping forward. She stretched out her left arm, and her Duel Disk formed on it.

Seeing her do this caused Larka's fright to be overridden by concern. She said, "Angela, wait! You don't have to do this!"

"The target is an enemy," Angela stated. "He must be eliminated."

"I must say, it is convenient that Angela's mind is programmed in such a simple way," Kai said. "The duel conditions will be as follows. If I win, I will be taking Angela to be deleted by Sarov. If I lose, I will tell you where Sarov is so that you can stop him, and I will turn myself into the proper authorities."

Catching the glint in Kai's eye, Gen said, "How do we know you will carry through with that?"

"You don't," Kai said, his smirk widening. "All you have is my word."

"Which is hardly any good," Kazel snorted.

"It's the best chance we have to deal with him though," Rue said. "Guess we'll have to hope that Angela wins."

"Angela…" Larka said worriedly.

"As for my Soul Monster…" Kai snapped his fingers, and from the wall came a green creature. Only its upper torso showed, the rest of its body being in the wall. Each of its limbs sported three silver claws, ones that were clearly very sharp. Black hair coursed down its back, and its entire body was covered with red eyes. Seeing the group, it let out a horrifying screech.

"What the hell is that?" Rue exclaimed.

"A Wall Shadow," Max answered grimly. "Now we know what killed Seiryu."

"Ritsuzen is his name, and he will be assisting me in this duel. I believe it to be important enough to have a Deck Master," Kai said.

The spectator's tension was easy to identify at this, but Angela showed no such qualms herself. She kept her flat gaze locked on Kai as she drew her opening hand.

Angela: 8000

Kai: 8000

"Seeing as you have no Soul Monster, I will give you an advantage by allowing you to go first," Kai offered.

"Confirmed. I summon Flame Ruler (1500/1600) and place two cards. Turn over," Angela stated.

"I have a feeling that monster will prove to be problematic if left alone," Kai remarked. "I summon Artemis of Harvest (1600/1700) and attack Flame Ruler."

"Countermeasures activating," Angela said. "Destruction Ring destroys your monster. We lose Life Points equal to its attack."

"I'm not going to let that happen," Kai said. "Ritsuzen's Deck Master ability activates!"

Ritsuzen went into the wall and then popped out next to the Destruction Ring and slashed it apart. Kai removed a card from his deck to place in the Cemetery while saying, "By discarding a copy of the same trap card from my deck, I negate and destroy yours. My attack goes through!"

Angela: 7900

Kai: 8000

Seeing that Angela was unharmed by the attack, Miles said, "It's about time we dueled someone who doesn't have Life Point conditions."

"I would prefer that we both remain in good health," Kai said dryly. "I lay two cards down to end."

"I activate Cry of the Living Dead to special summon Flame Ruler," Angela said.

Kai shook his head, flipping over a card. "You should really learn to give up on the Flame Ruler. My trap card, Ascending Black Horn, negates the special summon of a monster and destroys it. Since it is a counter trap, Artemis allows me to draw a card."

"Is he using a trap card deck?" Draken asked.

"Looks that way," Max said. "It's a bit different than the one I used though."

"You used a trap deck?" Kisara said.

"For a little while," Max answered. "I'll explain some other time."

"I summon Birdman (1800/600) and attack Artemis," Angela said.

This attack went through, to the slight surprise of the spectators. Due to Kai abusing trap cards, they would never be able to breathe easily so long as he had a card down.

Angela: 7900

Kai: 7800

"Turn over," Angela concluded.

"All I'm going to do is lay another two cards down," Kai said.

"I activate Cyclone on the center card," Angela said.

"It's Magic Drain, and I activate it." Kai shrugged. "It's gone either way, but if you discard a magic card, you can negate its effect."

"I will not," Angela stated.

Kai smirked. "Exactly what I was hoping for. Since my counter trap negated your card effect, I can special summon Dark King Dragon Vandalgion from my hand!" (2800/2500)

"Whoa! I think we found his deck theme!" Neo said at the sight of the huge dragon.

"Depending on what type of effect I counter for his special summoning, one of three effects of Vandalgion's occurs," Kai continued. "For negating a magic card, you lose 1500 Life Points."

The Vandalgion slashed Angela brutally, yet there was no trace of damage physically as her Life Point counter decreased.

Angela: 6400

Kai: 7800

Angela went on with her turn, unfazed. "I place a monster in face-down defense mode and activate Iron Cage of Nightmares."

Kai watched as two domes of steel bars enclosed them. "If I recall correctly, that means neither of us can attack for two turns?"

"Correct. Turn over."

Considering what had happened, Kai shrugged. "I suppose all I can do is lay one card down."

Angela barely glanced at her card before making use of the one she had held in her hand for the duel thus far. "I sacrifice Birdman and Sonic Shooter (1300/600) for Phoenix God of Nefutisu." (2400/1600)

Strangely, the sight of the Phoenix did not appear to alarm Kai in the slightest. He merely said, "I was expecting that. Watching other duels really does help plan things out in advance. At least Ramses served a decent purpose at that."

"He was watching us?" Brandi said in disgust.

Rue was confused at Kai's reaction. "Don't you have any idea of how screwed you are? You rely on traps, which Phoenix is geared towards destroying!"

"That does not mean it will always succeed," Kai said. "I will not be destroying Phoenix with card effects unless the situation is right."

Angela did not respond to this, instead choosing to make her next play. "I activate Thunder Crush. All monsters on my field are destroyed, and you lose 300 Life Points for each."

The Phoenix became a lightning bolt to strike Kai, who shook his head to clear it from the blast.

Angela: 6400

Kai: 7500

"So you are going to trigger the Phoenix's effect yourself," Kai inferred. "I assume you're done, seeing as you have no cards in your hand? As a matter of fact, I am too. I pass."

"Phoenix God of Nefutisu returns to the field," Angela stated. The Phoenix did so, and sent waves of fire over the magic and trap zones with a screech. The Iron Cage of Nightmares exploded, as did Kai's two cards.

"Those were Dead Spirit Zoma and Cyber Shadow Guardna," Kai said without a trace of concern. "Now what will you do about my Vandalgion? He is stronger than your Phoenix."

"I activate Force," Angela said. "Vandalgion's attack is cut in half, and Phoenix God of Nefutisu increases by the amount lost for this turn. (1400/2500) (3800/1600) Phoenix God of Nefutisu attacks."

The Vandalgion let out a loud roar that echoed painfully for the spectators as it burned away.

Angela: 6400

Kai: 5100

"Turn over," Angela ended.

Kai considered the cards in his hand before saying, "This'll work well. I lay a monster down and set two cards. Go ahead."

"Phoenix God of Nefutisu attacks," Angela said.

"You've destroyed my Mask of Darkness." (900/400) Kai reached into his Cemetery and pulled out his Destruction Ring to show her. "His reverse effect allows me to take a trap card from the Cemetery and put it into my hand. Done?"

"Turn over," Angela confirmed.

"Then all I'm going to do is lay a card down," Kai said.

"Phoenix God of Nefutisu attacks," Angela stated.

"You must have seen this coming," Kai said, flipping over Destruction Ring. "Say goodbye to your Phoenix!"

The resulting explosion caused the spectators to be temporarily blinded. Once they could see again, they realized that despite Kai's Life Points being lower, he was still highly confident.

Angela: 4000

Kai: 2700

"That was stupid!" Rue said. "The Phoenix will come back and destroy his cards!"

"Don't be so sure on that," Will replied. "Kai is anything but stupid. He wouldn't have done that without a reason."

"I activate Feather of the Phoenix God," Angela said. "It requires a card to be discarded. I discard Tornado Bird. A card from my Cemetery is put on top of my deck. Cry of the Living Dead is my choice. Turn over."

"I hadn't expected that, but not much can be done about it," Kai commented. "I activate my trap card, Avatar of Apophis. It acts as a monster. (1600/1800) I'll have Avatar attack you directly!"

As usual, Angela did not react to the attack, taking the sword slice unfalteringly.

Angela: 2400

Kai: 2700

"Your turn, but don't start going on about how your Phoenix is coming back," Kai advised. "When it tries to return on your standby phase, I activate a counter trap, Heavenly Punishment! By discarding Emergency Rations from my hand, a monster using an effect has its effect negated and is destroyed!"

"See what I meant?" Will said to Rue, who looked annoyed.

"I place one card down. Turn over," Angela said, saying nothing of her strongest monster's demise.

"At least you don't complain about how 'unfair' some of my moves are," Kai said. "Unlike some people. Avatar attacks you directly."

"Countermeasures activating. Cry of the Living Dead special summons Phoenix God of Nefutisu," Angela responded.

"Doesn't surprise me in the slightest," Kai said. "I call off the attack and switch Avatar to defense. I'll lay a card down and end my turn."

"Phoenix God of Nefutisu attacks Avatar of Apophis." Once the Avatar had been burned away, Angela ended by saying, "I place one card down. Turn over."

"Only thing I'm going to do this turn is lay a card down," Kai said.

"Phoenix God of Nefutisu attacks directly," Angela stated.

"I'm not letting you get away with that!" Kai retorted. "I activate a trap card, Metal Reflect Slime! It becomes a defense mode monster, one you're not about to pierce through." (0/3000)

"I chain with God Bird Attack," Angela said. "I sacrifice Phoenix God of Nefutisu to destroy two cards on your field."

"If you had ended your battle phase, that would have worked perfectly," Kai told her, smirking. "Too bad you didn't! I activate a counter trap, Trap Jammer, to negate and destroy your trap! That allows me to special summon another Vandalgion from my hand! Since I negated a trap card, Vandalgion's effect allows him to destroy one card on your field. Guess which one I choose?"

The Vandalgion instantly tore apart the Phoenix. A single golden feather floated to the floor before dissolving with the rest of it.

There was a stunned silence from the counter, with two final words breaking them. "Turn over."

"No cards on your field, no cards in your hand, I'd say it looks like you're finished," Kai declared. "Vandalgion attacks directly!"

One slash from the Vandalgion brought the duel to its conclusion.

Angela: 0

Kai: 2700

"No way…" Mana said, her voice surprisingly soft. "Angela… lost?"

"That means…" Miles trailed off, letting Kai finish what he was saying.

"Since I am the victor, she is going to accompany me." Kai stepped towards Angela, whose Duel Disk had disappeared instantly after the duel. She did not react to him approaching, merely watching as he held out his hand. "Come, Angela. Together we will gaze down upon this world before your existence ends."

Angela gazed at him silently, and then lifted her own arm, taking his hand. "Acknowledged."

"Angela!" Larka cried, worry causing her speak despite knowing these were the set conditions. "You can't let yourself die, Angela!"

"My self-preservation protocol is intact," Angela stated. "In meeting with the creator, Sarov Yggdrasill, I will have a chance to end his life. That will protect Teknisk Wereld."

Kai shrugged. "Look at it in whatever light you want, so long as you're agreeing to this." Wrapping his arm around Angela's arm so that he could keep a grip on her while using a card, he brought out a Receding Circuit. "As for the rest of you, I'll deal with you soon enough."

"Wait!" Larka exclaimed, running towards them. She was too late though. Kai inserted the card, causing him and Angela to instantly vanish. Larka barely managed to halt in front of where they had stood.

"What? How'd he manage to do that?" Miles said in disbelief. "Angela said she couldn't be affected by support cards!"

"I'm not sure, but the point is that it worked," Draken said. "And now we have no idea on where they are."

"On the contrary, Kai gave away his location," Will stated.

Everyone turned to him, Brandi asking, "What do you mean?"

"Where else can they gaze down on this world?" Will inquired. "There is only one area that allows that: the Sky Temple."

"Hooray for Will figuring out word puzzles again!" Rue said. "Now we just have to go there!"

"So we are going to interfere?" Neo said.

"Obviously!" Rue said. "It's that or let Teknisk Wereld be destroyed!"

"Technically, we have all the right to go," Gen pointed out. "Kai's conditions were merely to take her there. He never said we could not interfere."

"He might be expecting us," Kazel noted. "I doubt he would have given away their location like that otherwise."

"Probably not," Will agreed. "We'll have to be on our guard."

"But we're still going!" Hope said. "We have to!"

"For the sake of this world… and for Angela," Larka said, placing a hand to her bandaged arm.

"The only problem is how we'll get there," Gaston said. "Without support cards or having Blue Eyes White Dragons available, I don't see how we can get up there."

"There is another way," Zack recalled. "Larka and I used a tablet to transport there. It was in the plains between the town and the lake."

"Oh, right, you said that was why you couldn't get back down from the Sky Temple," Draken said. "That'll work then."

"We have to hurry," Larka said anxiously as the group exited the Demon Temple. "Otherwise, by the time we find them, it'll be… too late."

Once they had all left the Demon Temple and begun descending the mountain, it appeared that there was nobody else there. Then something emerged from the doorway of the dark building. Out slipped a black cat, its eyes gleaming red. It meowed once, looking oddly smug, and then it trotted away.

…

The clouds, previously receiving no visitors since the deletion had begun, were now occupied by two people that appeared. Kai glanced at the surroundings, and was satisfied to see nobody else was there.

He looked at Angela next, who merely stared straight ahead, at the temple before them. Although he had been told by Sarov that she did not have any emotions, he could not help but smirk and make a comment to her. "Now, now, Angela, don't be scared. It's time to meet your maker."

To be continued…


	27. Siblings

I hated the duel in this chapter so much. Amusing fact: I listened to the Macarena while writing the entire thing. Not quite sure why, but it was funny as heck and kept me from tearing my hair out.

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: Siblings**

Despite all that had happened to them that day, concern for Angela and the fate of Teknisk Wereld hastened their steps. The climb down the mountain was far easier than going up, which helped their speed, and the unpopulated town was not a problem to walk through. Any other Judges Kai commanded were not around, much to their relief.

While walking, Kisara asked Max, "What did you mean by saying you used a Trap deck?"

"Ah, right," Max said. "Before you met Draken, we had to confront Obelisk. I was ambushed by the enemy using him, and I lost the duel. I got away with my life, but had amnesia as well. During that time, Matt helped to make me a new deck since I lost my old one. That was a Trap deck."

"Wait a second… I thought you didn't remember what happened while you had amnesia!" Hope said.

"I couldn't," Max confirmed. "However, over the past seven years, things began to come back to me. Now I know everything that happened. I forgot to say this sooner, Hope, but thanks for everything you did for me then."

"I was happy to help," Hope answered, smiling.

It was not long before they reached their destination. Malon quickly found the tablet that they were looking for, barking excitedly until they went to him.

"This is it?" Neo asked.

"Looks like it," Hope said, kneeling to look at it. "_This is the gateway; now insert the key._ Huh?"

"That's written on it?" Miles assumed. "What does it mean?"

"See this rectangle?" Larka said, indicating to it. "When I placed the card Dunamis Valkyria on it previously, it warped us to the sky. I'll do that again, but everyone has to hold onto me."

"Oh this is _not_ going to be fun," Rue groaned, looking at the amount of people there.

"Maybe it will work if we make a large chain," Will suggested.

"Better than all of us crowding," Brandi agreed. "Let's link arms."

It took a moment for them all to get into position. Once they had, Larka said, "Everyone ready? It might feel a little odd, but be sure to not let go."

"We're set," Max said.

"Then here we go." She put the Dunamis Valkyria on the tablet, keeping it held in place.

Nothing appeared to happen at first, and then everyone felt light-headed and dizzy as the world began to spin…

…

"Wow… I feel like I just went through a washing machine," Rue said as everyone sat up, looking at the clouds and sky surrounding them.

"How would you know what it feels like?" Draken asked. "Unless you really have gone through one before…"

"You know what I mean!" Rue retorted.

"Ah, they are already here!"

The group turned to see the Sky Temple before them. Standing in front of the long staircase were two individuals Brandi, Mana, Larka, Miles, and Gen instantly recognized.

"I had told you they would be-" the second man responded to the first.

"Shaddup Kasmaru, I'm in charge! And I said they'd be here shortly!" the first answered. The second glared at him.

"Alamaru and Kasmaru?" Will assumed.

"Indeed," Gen replied.

"Great," Miles said sarcastically. "What are they doing here?"

"Kai instructed us to guard the temple against intruders," Alamaru stated. "So that's what we're doing!"

"To enter it, you will have to get past us," Kasmaru declared.

"Do either of you know what Kai did?" Hope asked. "He killed Seiryu to seize control of the Judges!"

"Hah! So what if he did?" Alamaru said, shrugging.

"It makes no difference to us," Kasmaru added. "We're loyal to the Judges, not one particular leader."

"So much for that idea," Gaston said.

"Then what do we have to do to get past you, duel?" Max inquired.

"Yes," Alamaru said. "In a death match!"

"We will be doing it in a tag-team format," Kasmaru stated. "So pick two duelists to face us."

Brandi looked towards Larka. "How about us? Our decks compliment each other, and they deserve payback for what they did to us!"

"All right," Larka agreed. "We'll duel them."

"That should work well," Max said.

"Be careful," Zack warned. "I do not like the looks of that pair."

"I doubt any of us do," Rue said. "They're darn ugly!"

"Did you hear that? He insulted you, Kasmaru!" Alamaru said. Kasmaru's eye twitched.

"We're ready for you!" Brandi declared, stepping forward and turning on her Duel Disk. Larka followed suit.

"Then let's begin!" Alamaru said, bringing out his Soul Monster. Kasmaru silently did the same.

"What are those things?" Miles asked.

"The one by Alamaru is Dark-Eyes Illusionist," Max identified. "Magical Mentor J is Kasmaru's."

"I guess I can understand why the two go together," Darche said doubtfully.

"Hopefully this will go by fast," Kazel said. "As we are on a time limit."

"I'd say the fact that the world isn't crumbling around us means we're not doomed yet," Draken says. "But who knows how long we have left."

Brandi: 8000

Larka: 8000

Alamaru: 8000

Kasmaru: 8000

"How should we decide the turn order?" Larka asked.

"Could one of you pick a number between one and ten?" Brandi called to the group.

"I have one!" Hope replied.

"Three," Brandi said.

"Two!" Alamaru shouted. Kasmaru put a hand to his forehead at hearing this.

"It was seven," Hope said. "Brandi and Larka get to choose."

"I knew that was a bad number to suggest, Kasmaru!" Alamaru said. Kasmaru glared at him.

"Larka, is this order all right?" Brandi said. "I'll go first, then Alamaru, then you, then Kasmaru."

"I'm all right with that," Larka answered.

"Okay, I'll start," Brandi stated. "I summon Kaiser Seahorse (1700/1650) and lay a card down. Alamaru's next."

"My move will be spectacular!" Alamaru declared. "I summon Doublecoston (1700/1650) and end my turn!"

"…Right," Brandi said, clearly not impressed. "Larka?"

"I lay down a monster and three cards," Larka said.

"Then that would mean it is my turn," Kasmaru stated. "I place a monster, and our turn order starts over."

"That means one of us can finally attack, and I'll be the one to do so first!" Brandi declared. "I sacrifice Kaiser Seahorse for Guardian Angel Jeanu!" (2800/2000)

"Hey! You can't do that!" Alamaru protested as the Jeanu appeared. "A monster that strong shouldn't be one sacrifice!"

Kasmaru rolled his eyes. "Ever take into consideration that Kaiser Seahorse works for Light Main-Types as Doublecoston does for Dark Main-Types? In other words, it acted as two sacrifices."

"I knew that!" Alamaru said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"I think it's clear who's a bigger threat," Brandi said, eye twitching at Alamaru. "Jeanu attacks Kasmaru's monster!"

"Actually, I am going to have to object to that," Kasmaru said. "Merlin's Deck Master ability activates!" A coin appeared in his hand, as if by magic. "I flip a coin and call it. I prefer tails myself, so I'll always be calling that." He showed them the coin to clarify it had a heads and a tails side before flipping it.

"Where'd that coin come from?" Rue asked, blinking.

"It was just a fancy sleight of hand," Miles replied. "I could the same thing in my sleep."

Kasmaru let the coin fall on his palm. "Tails! That means Merlin's effect works. I choose any monster on the field and have you attack it instead. I will retarget your attack to Larka's monster!"

Merlin waved his staff at the Jeanu, causing her eyes to become glazed. She turned and instead assaulted Larka's monster, which vanished.

"Darn it… Sorry, Larka," Brandi apologized.

"It's okay," Larka replied. "I lost my Ninja Master-Sasuke, (1800/1000) but I can live with that."

"I guess something good came out of it," Brandi realized. "When Jeanu destroys a monster in battle, I gain Life Points equal to the monster's attack. I'm done."

Brandi: 9800

Larka: 8000

Alamaru: 8000

Kasmaru: 8000

"That won't do!" Alamaru said. "I'm going to have to take down that Jeanu! I sacrifice Doublecoston for Black Magician!" (2500/2100)

Rue glared at the blue Black Magician that appeared. "That poser stole my signature monster!"

"Yeah, because you're definitely the only person in the world who uses Black Magician," Draken said sarcastically. "Oh wait, Gale Katar."

"That didn't need mentioning," Rue growled, shaking his fist at Draken.

"I'll play a field magic card, Spirit Separation Field!" Alamaru continued, causing the sky to become a vortex of green, blue, and black.

"What does that do?" Brandi asked.

"When a Fusion monster is destroyed by a card effect, one of its components is chosen from the Cemetery and special summoned to the field," Alamaru explained. "After that, I'll have Houdini use his Deck Master ability!"

Alamaru's Soul Monster's single eye stared at Jeanu, causing her wings to sag as she fell into a trance.

"I can only have him do this once per turn. Houdini reduces the attack of a monster by 500 and negates any effects the monster has!" Alamaru said. "Black Magician attacks!"

Normally, the Jeanu would have been strong enough to blast apart the Black Magician. However, thanks to Houdini, she fell victim to the black magic attack.

Brandi: 9600

Larka: 8000

Alamaru: 8000

Kasmaru: 8000

"Geez, they both have cheap Deck Master effects," Rue said.

"They're going to have a rough time," Will stated.

"I'm surprised Alamaru managed to pull off that move," Draken remarked. "He sure doesn't look like the sharpest knife in the drawer."

"Neither of them seem bright," Hope pointed out. "But looks can be deceiving."

"I'm done!" Alamaru said, apparently not hearing the group members converse.

Larka considered the field before saying, "I summon Dunamis Valkyria. (1800/1050) She attacks Kasmaru's monster."

"You are fortunate that Merlin's Deck Master ability can only be used on every other battle phase of the opponent's," Kasmaru said. "That means your attack goes through whether I want it to or not. You have destroyed my Troy Horse. (1600/1200) Is that all?"

"Yes," Larka answered.

"Then allow me to show what my deck can do." Kasmaru placed cards into his Duel Disk rapidly, explaining as the effects resolved. "First, I summon Skilled White Magician. (1700/1900) He receives a magic counter every time a magic card is played. Next, I activate Ancient Rule. It allows me to special summon a level five or higher normal monster from my hand. I will choose Black Magician."

"…Remind me to get that card," Rue said as he watched the blue Black Magician be summoned. "That is ridiculously good."

"I completely agree," Draken said.

"After that is Proof of Dragon Destruction," Kasmaru continued. "That allows me to search for a Buster Blader from my deck to place into my hand. Then I play Fusion, to fuse the Black Magician on my field and Buster Blader in my hand for Super Magical Swordsman-Black Paladin!" (2900/2400)

Rue glanced at Ruecian. "If you're not offended, you should be." Ruecian merely shrugged.

"His attack rises by 500 for each Dragon Sub-Type on the field or in the Cemetery. Unfortunately, there are none yet, but that will likely change shortly. My Skilled White Magician now has three magic counters, so I can sacrifice him to special summon Buster Blader from my deck. (2600/2300) Similar effect, except it only applies to monsters on your field or in your Cemetery. Buster Blader attacks Dunamis Valkyria, and Black Paladin attacks Brandi directly. I dislike leaving people with high Life Points alone; they prove to be troublesome."

Larka winced at the damage done through her Dunamis Valkyria, but it was Brandi who really suffered. The Black Paladin struck her with a powerful swing of his staff, knocking off a good portion of her Life Points.

Brandi: 6700

Larka: 7200

Alamaru: 8000

Kasmaru: 8000

After the attacks went through, the duo found another consequence to the damage they had taken. Without warning, they began to sink into the cloud they stood on. Mana and Malon did as well, with the latter yelping in shock.

"What's going on?" Max demanded.

"This would be the Life Point condition," Kasmaru explained. "As one of us loses Life Points, the victim begins to sink. When hitting zero, the person falls, with nothing to save him or her from a lengthy drop."

"Another twisted condition," Hope said bitterly. "When will they ever end?"

"Knowing our luck, never," Miles said.

Noticing that Zack had not said anything, Draken asked, "Silent with worry?"

"Basically," Zack answered. "I would be a fool to not worry."

"Yeah. At least this condition isn't a painful one," Neo said. "Until… well… you know."

Larka's legs had barely sunk into the clouds, with her knees still being above them. "Brandi? Are you all right?"

Her companion had her knees in the clouds, and looked furious. "That caused me to lose my sandals. THEY ARE DEAD! I lay a monster and a card down. Just wait until my next turn!"

"I… never said I ended… although I was about to…" Kasmaru said, blinking.

"They made a big mistake by getting her mad," Max muttered. "Watch the destruction that'll unfold from it."

"I can do better than Kasmaru!" Alamaru said. "I play a magic card, Instant Fusion! By paying 1000 Life Points, I special summon a Fusion monster from my deck that can't attack and will be destroyed at the end phase. I choose Flame Swordsman!" (1800/1600)

Brandi: 6700

Larka: 7200

Alamaru: 7000

Kasmaru: 8000

"Was that thing really worth paying 1000 Life Points for?" Mana said, watching Alamaru sink into the clouds.

"Yes, because now I play Fusion, to combine Black Magician and Flame Swordsman!" Alamaru announced. "They form Black Flare Knight!" (2200/800)

"This explains why they're called the Black Magician Brothers…" Larka murmured.

"Black Flare Knight attacks your monster!" Alamaru said, pointing at Brandi.

"You've destroyed my Compassionate Nun." (800/2000) Brandi was still seething, but the Black Flare Knight bluntly reminded her to keep her temper in check.

"I lay two cards down and end," Alamaru said.

Larka looked at the card she drew and glanced at Brandi. "I need something to weaken the monsters."

"Can do!" Brandi flipped over the card she had set. "I activate a trap card, Itaqua's Gale! This switches the position of every monster on the opponent's field, which means all of your monsters are change to defense mode!"

"Perfect!" Larka said. "Now I summon Mimic Ilusionist! (0/0) When summoned, reverse summoned, or special summoned, his stats become the base stats of an opponent's monster. I choose Black Paladin! (2900/2400) Then I play Cry of the Living Dead for Ninja Master-Sasuke! He attacks Buster Blader!"

"What? But he's not strong enough!" Kasmaru protested.

"When he attacks a monster in face-up defense mode, damage calculation is skipped and the monster is destroyed immediately," Larka informed him.

"In that case, I activate Merlin's effect and call tails!" Kasmaru caught the coin and looked at it, scowling. "Curses! Heads. I can't use it again this battle phase."

Larka gave a small sigh of relief before saying, "Mimic Illusionist attacks Black Paladin!"

Kasmaru's eye twitched as he watched his monsters be destroyed, but did not react otherwise.

"I'm going to do one more thing before I end my turn," Larka said. "I activate Solar Ray, to do 600 points of damage per Light Main-Type monster on my field!"

"Yes! I knew this card wasn't a waste of deck space!" Alamaru said, flipping over a card triumphantly. "I activate Damage Polarizer! It negates an effect that does damage and allows the players to draw a card."

"I can't believe he had a counter to that," Mana said sourly.

"I'm done," Larka said once she drew.

"All I'm going to do is lay a card down," Kasmaru said.

"It's your turn to lose a monster!" Brandi said to Alamaru. "I play Shine Spark, getting rid of your field!" The vortex vanished as the field became one of light. "It raises all Light Main-Types attacks by 500 and lowers their defenses by 400. (3400/1900) (2300/600) I summon Volt Girl (2400/400) and attack Black Flare Knight!"

"He's destroyed, but Black Flare Knight's effect causes me to take no battle damage!" Alamaru said. "In addition, when he is destroyed in battle, I can special summon a Mirage Knight from my deck or hand! He'll come from my deck, and be powered up since he's a Light Main-Type!" (3300/1600)

Staring at the golden-armored monster, Brandi muttered, "Drat. I end."

"I'll use Houdini's Deck Master ability on Volt Girl!" Houdini did so, leaving her hypnotized. (1900/400) "Mirage Knight attacks!"

The Mirage Knight cleaved through the Volt Girl with ease. Brandi instantly dropped further into the cloud, with the white mist now up to her chest. Mana was in a similar situation, and looking irritated at it.

"In damage calculation, Mirage Knight's attack raises by the base attack of the monster he attacked," Alamaru said with a savage grin. "So he was at 5200 during that time!"

Brandi: 3400

Larka: 7200

Alamaru: 7000

Kasmaru: 8000

"That's ridiculously cheap!" Rue protested.

"But he is a difficult monster to summon," Will pointed out.

"And he has a downside," Alamaru added. "At the end phase of a turn that he battles in, he is removed from the game. Good thing I prepared for that! I activate a trap card, Forced Ejection Machine! It returns a card from the field to my hand. I take Mirage Knight, so he won't be removed! Then I play Revive Fusion to special summon Black Flare Knight from my Cemetery! Can you compete with that?" Despite sinking into the cloud a bit more, Alamaru looked pleased with his play.

Brandi: 3400

Larka: 7200

Alamaru: 6200

Kasmaru: 8000

"They're in a bad situation," Gaston said with concern. "Attacking to destroy Flare Knight will only cause Mirage Knight to be summoned once more."

Larka seemed well aware of that fact, but that did not stop her. "I summon Blade Knight (2100/600) and attack Black Flare Knight with Sasuke!"

"That allows me to special summon Mirage Knight from my deck!" Alamaru declared.

"And I can destroy him," Larka said with a smile. "Mimic Illusionist's base attack is zero, so he won't get a stat increase when Mimic Illusionist attacks him!"

Much to Alamaru's horror, Larka was correct. The Mimic Illusionist tore through the Mirage Knight, leaving Alamaru open.

"Blade Knight attacks directly!" Larka said.

One swift slash sent Alamaru plunging farther into the cloud, so he was in it up to his waist.

Brandi: 3400

Larka: 7200

Alamaru: 4000

Kasmaru: 8000

"It's all your fault, Kasmaru!" Alamaru whined. "Why aren't you helping me?"

"…Are you done?" Kasmaru said to Larka pointedly.

"Once I lay this card down," Larka confirmed.

"See if you can consider this help," Kasmaru spat. "I play Revive Fusion on Black Paladin. Normally, he can only be special summoned through Fusion, but Merlin helps with that as well. He allows me to treat him as a normal Fusion monster in the aspect of getting him out." (2900/2400) Finally in the cloud somewhat, Kasmaru continued. "I play Spirit Separation Field to get rid of Shine Spark, and then activate Diffusion Wave! By paying 1000 Life Points, I can choose a level seven or higher Magic User Sub-Type and attack all of your monsters with it, and negate the effect of each monster destroyed like that! Then I activate a permanent trap card, DNA Operation, and call Dragon. That means all monsters on the field are changed to Dragon Sub-Types. This increases Black Paladin's attack by 500 for each. Counting himself, that's an increase of 2000! (4900/2400) Black Paladin attacks all three of your monsters!"

For each monster destroyed, the blast got weaker, which was the only thing that saved Larka. As it was, she barely survived the attacks, and instantly dropped, so dramatically that she thought she was finished until a sudden jerk stopped her head from going through.

Brandi: 3400

Larka: 300

Alamaru: 4000

Kasmaru: 6200

"Larka!" Zack exclaimed.

"Oh dang," Miles said, staring. "That was way too close."

"Nearly," Kasmaru said with a touch of disappointment. "It will not take much to finish you though. I lay two cards down and end my turn."

"Are you all right?" Brandi asked.

"Y-yes," Larka responded, trying to adapt to how it felt to be hanging. Malon was nearly completely submerged, and he gave a miserable howl to let everyone know it.

"This calls for drastic measures," Brandi stated. "Mana, let's use your Deck Master ability."

"Sure thing!" Mana said.

"What does it do?" Kasmaru said suspiciously.

"I remove monsters from my Cemetery to draw cards equal to the amount removed," Brandi explained. "I remove Kaiser Seahorse, Jeanu, Compassionate Nun, and Volt Girl to draw four. Then I have to skip draw phases equal to half the amount of cards I drew. Two, in this case." She drew the four cards and said, "It looks like my drawing isn't over yet. I play Angel's Gift to draw three more cards and discard two. Great! I'll discard Emesu the Infinity and Light of Hope, and then play Early Burial on Emesu!" (2500/2000)

Brandi: 2600

Larka: 300

Alamaru: 4000

Kasmaru: 6200

Ignoring how she had sunk again, Brandi said, "I equip Emesu with Power of Magicians! For each magic or trap card on my field, Emesu's stats increase by 500! I lay two cards down (4000/3500) and attack Black Paladin!" (3900/2400)

"I'll redirect it with Merlin! Tails!" Kasmaru flipped the coin, caught it, and looked at it. "…Okay, I won't. It was heads."

Brandi: 2600

Larka: 300

Alamaru: 4000

Kasmaru: 6100

"Emesu gains 700 attack points when destroying a monster. (4700/3500) That's all," Brandi said.

"I'll stop your Emesu from being so high and mighty!" Alamaru said. "I summon Magic Warrior-Breaker (1900/1000) and remove his counter to destroy Power of Magicians!" (1600/1000)

Everyone stared at him silently, until he said, "What?"

Gritting his teeth, Kasmaru said, "Why the HELL did you not destroy Early Burial?"

"Um… I forgot?" Alamaru responded.

"Man, he's even more stupid than I thought," Neo said.

Kasmaru looked fit to explode from fury, but Larka's turn interrupted whatever he was about to do. "I summon Wandering Hero, Freed (1700/1200) and equip him with Shine Castle to raise his attack by 700! (2400/1200) He attacks Breaker! I'm done after that."

Brandi: 2600

Larka: 300

Alamaru: 3200

Kasmaru: 6100

"Brandi could have blocked for Larka until she did that," Darche noted. "Now we have to hope Kasmaru will not do anything too drastic."

"Luckily for you, I am more concerned about that Emesu than your pathetic 300 Life Points," Kasmaru said to Larka. "I activate Cry of the Living Dead for Buster Blader! (3600/2300) He attacks Emesu!"

"I activate both my trap cards!" Brandi countered. "One is Astral Barrier. When you attack a monster on my field, I can make it a direct attack to my Life Points. My other is Spirit Barrier. When I have a monster on my field, battle damage done to me becomes zero!"

"Clever," Kasmaru said in disgust. "I end."

"Luckily, I can destroy Buster Blader now," Brandi said. "I play Shine Spark to destroy your field, and then attack!" (3700/1600)

Brandi: 2600

Larka: 300

Alamaru: 3200

Kasmaru: 6000

"Emesu's attack increases again, and I'm done." (4400/1600)

"Now I'll teach you to respect the power of Alamaru!" Alamaru said. "I play Lightning Vortex, discarding Mirage Knight to destroy all the face-up monsters you two have!"

Kasmaru glared at him, but said, "At least you managed to do something, but that's all I need. Let me handle them!"

"Shaddup Kasmaru! I'm in charge and I'll handle this!" He paused, and then said, "Uh, Kasmaru? I have no cards in my hand."

"…My point exactly," Kasmaru growled.

Larka looked at the cards in her hand and then at Brandi. "Will you take down Alamaru?"

"With pleasure. You weaken Kasmaru!" Brandi said.

Nodding in response, Larka said, "I lay a card down and summon Machine Dog Maron!" (1500/600)

"Aw, that's cute!" Hope said upon seeing the mechanical puppy. "Er… for a machine, anyway. I don't remember Larka using that card."  
In a slightly embarrassed tone, Zack said, "I got her that card, thinking she would like it."

"And I do," Larka said, trying to smile despite having fallen so deeply into the cloud. "Then I use Malon's Deck Master ability!"

Malon struggled to get his head over the cloud and howled. A Volt Girl appeared on Larka's field. (2400/400)

"You special summoned that?" Kasmaru assumed.

"From my deck," Larka confirmed. "Volt Girl attacks you!"

"I activate Merlin's effect! Tails!" He flipped the coin, caught it, and smirked. "I was correct. Now, who to target with that attack…"

The group waited in mute horror, knowing one of their friends was doomed. Or so they thought, for Kasmaru's next words were, "I redirect the attack to Alamaru!"

"WHAT?" Alamaru yelled, but there was nothing he could do to stop it. The Volt Girl zapped him, barely leaving him with any Life Points.

Brandi: 2600

Larka: 300

Alamaru: 800

Kasmaru: 6000

"But why?" Larka said in disbelief. "He's your brother!"

"And I despise him," Kasmaru said, sneering. "Going to attack me again?"

"Yes… with Machine Dog Maron…" Larka said.

"Tails!" Kasmaru flipped it, looked, and laughed. "Tails it is! Attack Alamaru to kill him!"

The Machine Dog Maron did just that, biting Alamaru with steel jaws.

Brandi: 2600

Larka: 300

Alamaru: 0

Kasmaru: 6000

"TRAITOR!" Alamaru cried, and it was the last words he spoke in his life. He and Houdini fell instantly afterwards, with Alamaru's scream fading away from the distance of the drop.

"Finally!" Kasmaru said, still laughing. "Oh how I have waited for the day that my pathetic brother would be wiped off the face of this world! Now that he is finally gone, I will begin working on the two of you! Done?"

"What a creepy bastard," Rue spat. "How anyone could do that to their own brother is beyond me."

"I'm in total agreement," Brandi said, glaring at Kasmaru.

Larka hesitated, and then said, "Yes… I am done."

"I activate a trap card, Legitimate Bloodline!" Kasmaru said. "It allows me to special summon a normal monster from my Cemetery in attack mode. I choose Black Magician!"

"I'll stop you with Tidal Wave!" Larka said. "It destroys all monsters on the field. That means Maron's effect is activated. When destroyed by a card effect, the opponent loses 1000 Life Points."

Brandi: 2600

Larka: 300

Alamaru: 0

Kasmaru: 5000

Kasmaru uneasily said, "I'm done."

"I pass," Brandi said. "Don't have any monsters to play, and I can't draw."

On the contrary, Larka was able to strike Kasmaru. "I summon Twilight Zone Female Warrior (2000/1200) and equip her with another Shine Castle. (2700/1200) She attacks directly!"

"I activate Merlin's effect! Tails!" Kasmaru cursed as he saw the result. "It was heads…"

Brandi: 2600

Larka: 300

Alamaru: 0

Kasmaru: 2300

"I refuse to lose like this!" Kasmaru snarled. "I lay a card down and end my turn."

Before Brandi could do anything but draw, Kasmaru flipped over his card. "If I'm going to lose, you're going down with me! I activate Destruction Ring on Twilight Zone Female Warrior, to reduce all of our Life Points to zero!"

Brandi: 0

Larka: 0

Alamaru: 0

Kasmaru: 0

Nobody could react to this suicidal move. All were frozen in shock, which provided enough time for the Life Point conditions to play out. Each of the duelists and their Soul Monsters plummeted through the clouds, with three of them giving startled cries and one giving an anguished howl.

"No!" Max and Zack chorused, but there was nothing any of them could do. They were already gone.

Below the cloud line, their two friends, with their Soul Monsters, continued to fall. Both Brandi and Larka knew they were doomed, and Malon's frightened yips showed he was in the same state of mind.

But Mana was not about to give in and let them all die. She mentally steeled herself, knowing this would be one of the excruciating things she had tried yet, and then teleported. Appearing next to Brandi, she grabbed her arm, and teleported towards Larka. She managed to use her free arm to snatch Larka's, and yelled, "Get Malon!" before teleporting once more. Larka reacted when they appeared next to Malon by grabbing his collar, nearly accidentally strangling him in her haste. Mana teleported one more time, her destination point being the clouds above.

The despair that had started to enter the hearts of the group abruptly vanished at the sight of Mana appearing in front of them, gripping onto Brandi and Larka. They stared with a mixture of disbelief and relief evident. Hope managed to speak, saying, "You made it!"

"Barely…" Mana murmured, her grasp on the pair releasing. She started to fall forward, but Brandi swiftly straightened up and caught her.

"Mana!" To Brandi's horror, she saw that Mana was as pale as she had been when purging the sickness from her body, the task that had nearly caused her to die. "No, you can't leave! Please don't die! After we finally found each other again… you can't go!"

For a horrifying moment, Brandi thought her words were in vain. Then Mana's eyes opened, and she gave Brandi a pained smile. "Don't worry, I'm never going to leave you again. I wanted to save you badly enough that I changed forms to have the power to do it, and to continue protecting you. It's not something I want to go to waste. Besides… I'm sick of eternal darkness."

Brandi laughed at that, mainly from having her fears dispelled. She stood up, Mana's arm over her shoulder to support her. "No more crazy teleportation stunts from you then."

"Are all of you okay?" Zack asked as the group approached them.

"Yes," Larka assured. "Thank you, Mana. You saved our lives."

"No problem," Mana said. "Just don't ask me to do that again for a while. I'm drained…"

"What a sore loser," Rue grumbled. "I hope he hit a mountain peak on his way down."

"Didn't we break the conditions by doing this?" Larka said.

"Not sure why you care about that considering who you were facing," Max responded. "But their conditions were that the losers fall. If they could prevent death, I don't see the problem. Besides, Alamaru was out first. I'd say that meant their side was the ultimate loser in the duel."

Larka nodded, not having anything to say to that.

"Nice going though," Draken said. "Now the duo of morons is out of our way."

"Good riddance," Kazel said, her teeth bared.

"And we're still intact," Gaston said. "It's remarkable what lengths Mana will go to to save Brandi."

"She is making the rest of us look like we are slacking," Gen said dryly. "Miles, try getting into a deadly situation soon so I can show my devotion."

"Very funny," Miles said, making a face at him.

"Thanks for the compliment," Mana directed to Gaston. "It's my job, right? So I'm glad to hear I'm doing it well."

Hope looked at the Sky Temple. "With its guards gone, we should be able to go in now. We'd better get moving."

The group showed their agreement by beginning to walk up the long staircase in front of it.

To be continued…


	28. Loyalty

So, FFN was refusing to upload anything yesterday, thus twenty-seven and twenty-eight could not be posted on Saturday. Completely annoying. At least you guys get more than one update now!

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: Loyalty**

As the group went farther up the stairs, they discovered that Hope had been wrong. There was still someone waiting for them, one in front of the temple doors. Surprised and tense at this, the group halted a few steps below where the man stood.

"Pariah," Brandi said, eyes narrowing.

"That's Pariah?" Draken said.

"Yep," Miles replied. "Big guy, isn't he?"

Pariah watched them calmly, stating, "To enter this temple, you will have to get through me."

Max glared at him. A combination of meeting the intimidating Judge and being sick of interruptions caused his temper to flare. "So you want to duel? Truth is, I'd rather fight!" He charged at Pariah without warning, and despite Hope's cry for him to wait, threw a punch at Pariah's chest.

The blow connected, yet had no effect. Without any sign of being hurt, Pariah grabbed Max by the neck, lifted him in the air, and returned the punch. This one caught the area where Max had been slashed by Duke, causing him to gasp in pain.

Infuriated by Max's pain, Tenma lunged forward with a roar. But before he could reach the two, an answering snarl was heard, and a large lion sprang out and pounced on Tenma. They clawed, bit, and spat at each other while rolling around on the upper platform, leaving the rest of the group utterly confused as to what was happening.

Pariah had taken advantage of the distraction to hit Max's wound several more times while tightening the grip on his throat. Max looked as if he was about to pass out, yet Pariah was not finished. He grabbed Max's right arm and began to pull on it, apparently with the intention of ripping it off.

"We have to help Max!" Larka cried, running up the steps at full speed. It barely took her a second to get to the top and slam into Pariah. The impact caused him to wrench Max's arm out of place, but he lost his grip on him shortly afterwards. Ignoring his downed opponent, Pariah delivered a swift uppercut to Larka, sending her sprawling to the tiled ground. He stomped on her ribcage and pressed down, with every intention of crushing her.

It was then that Zack was able to spur himself into action. He ran forward as well, yelling, "Stop!" But before he could make it to the top, the lion threw Tenma at him. They collided, and went flying down the steps, nearly hitting the rest of the group in the process.

Larka would have surely been finished if Max had not managed to stagger upright and punch Pariah's jaw with his left hand. Contrary to his previous blow, this one sent Pariah flying into a pillar. That got the lion to react. He ran towards where Pariah had landed, leaving everyone else to run to their fallen companions.

"Max! How badly are you hurt?" Hope said anxiously when she arrived beside him.

"The only thing stopping me from bleeding to death is Angela's make-shift tourniquet," Max said, wincing. "My right arm… I can't move it. I think it got pulled out by the joint. And I had to use the Genkai Kyuukei to damage him, which isn't helping…"

Tenma growled, not speaking. He had several shallow wounds covering his body, although none of it looked serious.

"Larka? Can you hear me?" Zack said, kneeling beside her.

"Z-Zack…" Larka managed to say, coughing several times afterwards.

"Mana!" Brandi said desperately over Malon's panicked barks. "What did he do to her? Please check!"

Mana gently pressed Larka's chest in a few places, receiving pained gasps in response. "I don't think her ribs are broken, thankfully, but I'd say a few might be cracked. She'll have trouble breathing is my guess. Nothing fatal though, which is definitely good."

"D-don't worry…" Larka said, slowly sitting up. "I'm n-not that easy to kill either…"

Brandi could not help but smile at that, even if it was shaky. "If you're throwing my own lines back at me, you must be in decent shape."

By this point, Pariah had risen. He spat some blood out of his mouth, but other than a few cuts and bruises, he appeared mostly unharmed. Looking at the stunned spectators, he said, "I suggest we settle this with a duel."

"Best freaking idea I've heard yet!" Miles said, eyes wide.

"Amen," Rue said, snickering.

Miles gave him an annoyed glare. "Could you insult my Christian ways at a more appropriate time?"

Pariah ignored them and turned on his Duel Disk. "This will be a duel without shields. The loser perishes from their wounds. Who will duel?"

"I had best volunteer," Will said, to the group's surprise. Catching their looks, he explained, "I'm the only one who has not dueled twice yet. It's only fair that I do so now."

"Fine by me. My Soul Monster, Nemean, is a Super War Lion. He will assist me," Pariah stated.

"Mine is a Legendary Flame Lord who goes by Neo," Will said. "Ready?"

"Yes," Pariah responded.

Will: 8000

Pariah: 8000

"As I was attacked first, I believe I should be allowed to take my turn first," Pariah stated. "I summon Beowulf. (1650/1000) Nemean's Deck Master ability activates. When I have a normal monster as the only one on my field, its attack doubles." (3300/1000)

"Why do all of the Judges have the cheapest Deck Master abilities on earth?" Rue exclaimed.

"Technically, we are in Teknisk Wereld," Draken pointed out.

"I place a card and play a permanent magic card, Two Man Cell Battle," Pariah said. "On a player's end phase, that player may special summon a level four normal monster. I end, and special summon Minotaur." (1700/1000) (1650/1000)

"That took away your attack advantage, but I'm not going to press my luck," Will said. "I lay a monster in defense mode and a card face down."

Pariah examined Will's field carefully before saying, "I sacrifice both my monsters for Garnetia Elephantes. (2400/2000) He is a normal type, so Nemean's Deck Master ability applies. (4800/2000) I activate a trap card, Meteor Rain. When attacking a defense monster, you take damage. Garnetia Elephantes attacks your monster."

The Elephantes used his sword to completely cleave through Will's defense monster, slashing him heavily. Grimacing as he felt blood pour from his wound, Will said, "You destroyed my Apprentice Magician. (400/800) When destroyed in battle, I can take another level two or lower Magic User Sub-Type from my deck and special summon it in defense mode. I do so."

Will: 4000

Pariah: 8000

"I am done," Pariah said.

"Ouch," Gaston said, wincing.

"That was a heavy blow, but Will's not out by a long shot," Max said,

"Formidable…" Will said. "I pass."

"I place a card and attack," Pariah said.

"You destroyed another Apprentice Magician. I lay a monster down from his effect," Will said.

Pariah nodded. "Done."

Will considered the card he had drawn, and asked, "Before we continue, might I inquire on something?" Prompted by another nod, Will said, "Why do you follow Kai?"

"Good question," Kazel remarked.

Pariah was silent in thought, and then he said, "Before Seiryu came, the Judges were merely a group of vigilantes who killed any person they were hired to. That changed twenty-five years ago, when I had just joined. Another new recruit, a Judge named Cadmus, challenged our previous leader, Byakko, for leadership. He killed Byakko, winning the title. Cadmus took the name Seiryu to tribute the founder of the Judges. He reformed them, having them only accept missions for people who had been wronged."

When he did not continue, Hope said, "That's interesting, but how does it answer Will's question?"

"Let me explain what my definition is of the word 'loyalty'. Loyalty is to who your leader is, without question of their character," Pariah stated. "Nobody is satisfied with a ruler, yet they still follow that ruler. That is loyalty, and I am a loyal person."

Will silently shook his head. "Your words ring true for others. However, if that is how you see it, then I am afraid the two of us will never agree. Let's continue. I flip over Tenacious Old Magician. (450/600) His reverse effect allows me to destroy a monster on the field. Your Garnetia Elephantes is my choice."

"I activate a trap card, Legitimate Bloodline," Pariah said. "A normal monster in my Cemetery is special summoned in attack mode. I choose Garnetia Elephantes."

"Problematic, but I have a way around it," Will said. "This will take a while to explain, but bear with me. First, I sacrifice Tenacious Old Magician for Darkred Enchanter. (1700/2200) When summoned, he receives two magic counters. Each counter raises his attack by 300. (2300/2200) Now, I play Toon Index. It allows me to get another card with the word 'Toon' in its name from my deck. I get another Toon Index, and play it for my third Toon Index, and use that one to get Toon Gemini Elf. For every magic card played, Darkred Enchanter gets another magic counter, so that gave him three. I activate my trap card, Black Power Stone, to receive three magic counters. I can transfer one per turn, so I give one to Darkred Enchanter. Next, I play Clarity of Mind, which allows me to get another from my deck. Then I play Mallet of Luck. This magic card allows me to shuffle any amount of cards from my hand into my deck that I wish, and I draw the same amount afterwards. I'll shuffle in two to draw two cards. Hm… I play Angel's Gift to draw three cards and discard two. I discard Magical Armor EXE and Magic Arm Shield. After that comes Cyclone, to destroy Two Man Cell Battle. Finally, I play Early Burial on Magical Armor EXE." (2400/1400) Will winced as he felt his energy leaving him from the card, but concluded, "I believe that is eleven counters he receives, at the cost of my entire hand." (5000/2200)

Will: 3200

Pariah: 8000

The spectators stared at Will in shock, before Rue, Draken, and Miles chorused, "HOLY MUFFINS!"

"Not exactly the term I would have used, but that was an impressive play," Zack remarked.

"Thanks," Will said. "Darkred Enchanter attacks Garnetia Elephantes."

The Darkred Enchanter held out his staff, letting out a highly powerful blast to consume the Elephantes and his master.

Will: 3200

Pariah: 7800

"I can also do something else with the magic counters," Will said. "Once per turn, I can remove two to force you to discard a random card in your hand. Get rid of the one to your left." (4400/2200)

"Ward of Absolute Magic Protection," Pariah said, discarding it.

"That is it. On your standby phase, I have to remove a magic counter on my field to keep Magical Armor EXE. I remove one from my Black Power Stone," Will said.

"Fine. I place a card and summon Genetic Werewolf. (2000/100) As my only monster, and a normal one, he is strong enough to handle this. (4000/100) He attacks Magical Armor EXE."

The powerful wolf monster slashed completely through the suit of armor, the screech of its claws causing the spectators to wince. Continuing through the monster, the Werewolf struck Will, leaving a gash across his chest that added to the pain his previous injury provided.

Will: 1600

Pariah: 7800

"I assume you're done," Will said. "In that case, I'll have Neo use his Deck Master ability."

"Sounds good!" Neo held out his staff, causing the Darkred Enchanter to be surrounded by fire.

"On my standby phase, he can give one of my compatible cards a magic counter," Will explained. "I move the last counter on Black Power Stone to Darkred Enchanter. (5000/2200) Darkred Enchanter attacks Genetic Werewolf!"

This time, the Darkred Enchanter's magic attack made contact with Pariah, leaving a significant injury.

Will: 1600

Pariah: 6800

"That's all, since you have no cards in your hand," Will finished.

"I place a card," Pariah said, shaking off the attack.

"Neo will give Darkred another counter. (5300/2200) I lay a card down and attack directly."

Pariah was hit full-force, nearly causing him to collapse from the damage he took.

Will: 1600

Pariah: 1500

"I also summon Toon Gemini Elf. (1900/900) She can't attack the turn I summon her, so it wouldn't have mattered when she came out," Will said. "Your turn."

Even though he was severely hurt, Pariah had a calm expression as he drew. "I play Angel's Gift, drawing three cards and discarding Blood Vors and Ninja Dog Wonder Dog. Then I activate Dark Assembly, to take two normal monsters from my Cemetery. I choose the ones I just discarded. Finally, I activate my face-down ritual card, Synthetic Sorcery, and discard my two monsters to bring out Lycan Thrope." (2400/1800)

Will eyed the mechanical wolf, who howled. "Does he have an effect?"

"For every normal monster in my Cemetery, you lose 200 Life Points when he damages you," Pariah said. "I have six, for 1200 extra damage. Lycan Thrope attacks Toon Gemini Elf."

"Thankfully, I can stop that," Will said. "I activate Attack Nullification to halt your attack and end the battle phase."

"That means I am finished." Pariah closed his eyes. "Deal the final blow."

Neo provided Darkred Enchanter with another magic counter as Will nodded. "Your magic cards only made my monster stronger. (6500/2200) Darkred Enchanter ends the duel."

Now powered up by sixteen magic counters, the Darkred Enchanter completely annihilated the Lycan Thrope to consume Pariah. His corpse hit the ground, barely recognizable.

Will: 1600

Pariah: 0

"It's too bad that we could not see… eye to eye…" Will swayed at this.

Neo quickly reached out and straightened him. "You're getting far too pale for my liking. Those attacks must have made you lose a lot of blood. Are you going to be all right?"

"Yeah," Will answered. "I'm not going to be able to help much in this condition, but I can go on."

"That's good," Hope said. "You dueled really well."

"She speaks the truth," Rue agreed. "I had no idea you could pull out that kind of a monster."

Will shrugged. "Rather than spend the day complimenting me, shouldn't we be going inside?"

"Right." Hope looked at Max. "Are you up for it?"

"So long as I don't have to fight," Max said, giving his right arm a bitter glance.

"What about you?" Zack asked Larka.

"I'm ready," Larka said, trying to stand and nearly falling in the process. Zack was quick to support her, and she was able to remain upright thanks to that.

"It's times like this that we realize how important support cards are," Draken said grimly.

"There is little that can be done about it," Kazel stated. "Kai is waiting inside, and Angela needs out help."

"Then let's go," Larka said. "I can only hope we're not too late…"

"We'll see shortly," Hope replied, heading for the doors. She put her hands to them, hesitated briefly, and then slowly pushed them open.

To be continued…


	29. Superior

If anyone saw this coming, I applaud your amazing guessing skills. Hopefully, however, it will be a pleasant surprise to all.

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: Superior**

Based on their previous trips to the Sky Temple, they were expecting to see a well-lit area. On the contrary, the building was eerily dark, making it difficult to see as they proceeded down the narrow hall.

As if afraid someone would overhear them, Larka whispered, "Why is it so dark?"

"No idea," Miles answered. "But I'm getting a bad feeling about this."

"We have to proceed cautiously," Gaston said. "Most of the Soul Monsters should be at the front, with Tenma and Kazel at the back."

"Yeah, an ambush isn't out of the question," Draken agreed.

When they emerged from the hallway, the main room had not a speck of light. They looked around, trying to have their vision adapt to the area, but only Hope actually turned her gaze upwards. That was how she was able to see gleaming red eyes, ones descending towards Max.  
Without thinking, Hope shoved Max to the side, causing him to hit the floor. Any reaction he would have given was cut off by hearing Hope's cry of pain, and seeing blood fly out of her left arm from Ritsuzen's slash, one that would have killed Max if she had not interfered.

"Hope!" Max shouted, and that was enough of a distraction to turn everyone's attention to the Soul Monster. Thus, there was nobody to see a figure lunging from the shadows, with claws aimed straight for Larka's heart…

…Only to come to a stumbling halt as the claws vanished from his hands, leaving him to exclaim, "What?"

"Enough of this nonsense."

With this new voice came the sound of a card sliding in, and the area became filled with light. They all winced at the intensity of it momentarily, but were soon able to see.

The first person they saw was Kai, who looked completely stunned. His reaction became clear as the second one stepped to the front of the group. She looked to be around thirteen, and wore a short-sleeved, dark purple dress with gold trimming and black shoes. Her dark brown hair went to her shoulders in waves, framing her light blue eyes. What caught the group's attention was the item around her neck, a silver cross.

"Katrina?" Larka said in amazement. "Why are you here?"

"I would think the answer of that should be obvious," Katrina said, giving Kai an irritated glance. "These so-called Judges are trying to destroy Teknisk Wereld, and it is driving me crazy. You and your friends have done well so far in eliminating them, but now it's my turn to step in."

Hope, still clutching a hand to her wound, said, "Katrina? Are you really…?"

Katrina turned her gaze to her and smiled briefly. "It has been a long time, Hope." She nodded to Brandi. "And you, Brandi. I have seen Larka and Zack since our previous meetings, but not the two of you. As for Fell, I believe he is gone now. I wonder if he has grown up by now? If I had to venture a guess, I would say yes, but I have no way of knowing." She threw a cold glare at Max, who shrank back nervously. "Max and I are acquainted, and I am sure Miles knows who I am since he is an official, but you may wish to introduce your other friends."

Zack took the cue. "This is Katrina Bifrost. She is the leader of the officials, and the granddaughter of Sarov Yggdrasill."

There was a short silence at this, and then Rue said, "What the HELL?"

"You heard him, and everything he said is true," Katrina stated. She faced Kai again, saying, "You have caused more than enough trouble here. If you refuse to surrender, I will have to take measures to stop you. And you won't like those measures."

"Just try it," Kai spat, his anger overriding his previous shock. "I've already come far enough to have your precious world deleted! Once I kill the murderer of my brother… and the one who took the person I loved… I will have fulfilled my revenge!"

"What is he talking about?" Mana asked.

"He must mean… Ouka," Hope said softly. "She was obsessed with Max, remember? Maybe he thinks of Max as the one who led to her death."

Katrina's stare intensified, piercing Kai. "Your reasons are petty and selfish. If you think you will be able to destroy a world with those pathetic ideals being the only things to back them up, I have no fear of losing to you. Are you at least a brave enough man to duel a girl who is thirteen years old? I know your courage is low, but I must hope you can at least do that."

"Of course I can duel you, you spoiled brat!" Kai snarled. "And I'll defeat you and throw your corpse from the clouds, leaving all to see your downfall!"

"Has anyone noticed Kai is acting almost… insane?" Gaston said.

"Yes. He certainly is not as calm as he appeared before," Kazel concurred. "I wonder why?"

"A pretty image, although it is one that will not happen," Katrina said in an unimpressed tone. She put two fingers to her lips, letting out a shrill whistle, and then called, "Bast!"

Rue suddenly yelped, putting a hand to his arm, which now sported a long scratch. The cause became apparent when the cat leapt into Katrina's arms, purring.

"A Black Cat That Brings Unhappiness!" Hope said, stunned. "Then that means…"

"I have been a user in Teknisk Wereld for a very long time," Katrina said. She scratched the cat's ear, receiving pleasured meows in response. "That means I obtained my Soul Monster early as well. Her name is Bast, and she has been my eyes and ears in Teknisk Wereld when I have not been around." Katrina gave Rue an annoyed look, saying, "Next time, don't try to chop her in two, especially if you value your life. When Bast is angry, few are fortunate enough to tell of the results."

"Eep…" was all Rue could respond with.

"Young as she is, she's definitely a leader," Draken commented.

"Will, is this the girl you saw?" Kisara asked.

"In my vision? Yeah," Will answered.

"That's one mystery solved," Neo said.

"One more thing." Katrina inserted a card, and a green glow surrounded the group. When it faded, Hope's arm wound had scarred over and was not as severe as before, Will's injuries were non-existent, and Larka was able to breathe more easily. Max was the worst off, for his arm remained dislocated, but otherwise he had recovered. Kazel and Tenma had also healed, as she had apparently targeted Soul Monsters too.

"Sebek's Blessing," Katrina explained. "I'm sorry that I have nothing better, but it will have to do."

"That's great, thanks," Hope replied.

"Speaking of support cards, do you think the darkness of this temple was caused by one?" Darche remarked.

"I'd guess Dark Zone," Max said. "And Katrina probably used Shine Spark. Kai was trying to attack with Executioner Makyura's claws, but Katrina disarmed him… probably with Weapon Disposal." He put a hand to his shoulder and gave it a sharp jerk, resulting in a pained snarl but a fixed arm. Catching Hope's worried glance, he said, "It had to be done eventually."

"Either way, we're really lucky she came," Draken said. "Although I'm not sure I understand how she found us."

Hearing him, Katrina responded, "Bast watched the duel between Kai and Angela. I have been searching for Angela since the destruction of Teknisk Wereld began, so I went to where Bast said she was taken."

Larka flushed. "Oh no! If I had known that, I would have contacted you, but…"

"I was supposed to be the substitute for Angela," Katrina said. "Don't worry about that though. You were a good substitute for her. I suppose I must take some of the blame anyway, since I only told one person of the Guardian and that I was to be contacted if she was ever found." She sent another glare at Max, who now appeared very guilty. "That certain person I will be talking with later. At this moment, I have a madman to defeat. Ready?" she directed at Kai.

"I'm the one who's been waiting for you to quit blabbering!" Kai snapped. Ritsuzen appeared next to him. "Just start the duel!"

Bast hissed at him, her fur standing up. Katrina readjusted her grip so she could continue to hold Bast and use her Duel Disk at the same time. "All right. You had your chance to give up, so don't say I didn't warn you."

Katrina: 8000

Kai: 8000

"I'm going first!" Kai declared, drawing. "First, I-"

"Not so fast, Kai!" Katrina said.

"-ba!" Rue added to the end.

Will smacked him over the head with his book. "This is not the anime."

"I am going to use Bast's Deck Master ability!" Katrina held out her arms, and Bast leapt out. She ran over to Kai and jumped onto his head, causing him to yelp in shock.

"Okay Bast, what did he just draw?" Katrina asked.

Bast looked at the card and gave a disgusted meow.

"Holy Barrier-Mirror Force? That won't do. Tell him to send it to the bottom of his deck!" Katrina said.

Hissing at Kai, she smacked the side of his face with her claws. He made a furious grab for her, but Bast jumped off and went back to Katrina, where she smugly settled into her arms. Enraged, Kai demanded, "What did she just do?"

"Black cats are said to be bad luck, right? Bast is no exception," Katrina said. "Every time you draw a card in your draw phase, I get to hear what it is. Then I choose whether you keep it or place it at the bottom of your deck. When I choose the latter, you draw a new card to replace it, one that I am not allowed to use that effect on."

"Going to make a comment on another cheap Deck Master ability?" Miles asked Rue.

Rue shook his head. "She's the leader of the officials, right? Her Deck master ability _deserves_ to be cheap."

Bast hissed at Rue, making him promptly fall silent. That gave Kai an opportunity to continue his turn. "I lay two cards down and end."

"Now we get to see what deck Katrina plays," Brandi remarked. "It's got to be something powerful."

Katrina looked over her hand and smiled. "This is certainly a good start. I summon Cat Ear Tribe!" (200/100)

"…Forget I said that," Brandi said, not impressed in the slightest by the three tiny kittens that appeared.

"You were right the first time," Max said, looking bitter at that. "Keep in mind that I've faced her before."

"Really? Did you win?" Hope asked.

"The exact opposite. She completely trashed me," Max answered, grimacing.

"Wow. In that case, I've got to see this!" Rue said.

"Your stupid kitties won't hurt me!" Kai said. "I activate Avatar of Apophis, who becomes a monster on my field!" (1600/1800)

"Bast has already told me you run a Trap deck," Katrina said. "So that is no surprise. I lay two cards down and end my turn. Oh, if you do not want Bast using your head as a platform again, you had best tell me what you draw."

Giving Bast a dirty glare, Kai said, "I drew Shotgun Shuffle."

"Fine, you can keep that," Katrina said.

"I attack with Avatar!" Kai announced.

"Big mistake," Katrina replied, smirking. "I activate an instant magic card, Charge! It increases my Cat Ear Tribe's attack by 700 for this turn." (900/100)

"That won't save them!" Kai said.

"Normally, no. But my Cat Ear Tribe has an effect," Katrina informed him. "In the damage step on the opponent's turn, the monster that battled Cat Ear Tribe has its base attack reduced to 200. That means my Cat Ear Tribe is strong enough to destroy your Avatar!"

The site of the three kittens pummeling the Avatar to death was perhaps one of the most amusing ones the spectators had witnessed in a duel yet. Kai did not agree with this though; he was flushed in a combination of embarrassment and anger.

Katrina: 8000

Kai: 7300

"That won't save you forever!" Kai said. "I play two permanent magic cards, Recycle and Shotgun Shuffle! Recycle allows me to pay 300 Life Points on my standby phase to choose a non-monster card and put it at the bottom of my deck. Shotgun Shuffle lets me pay 300 Life Points to shuffle my deck or the opponent's deck. Next turn I'll make use of both! For now, I'm done."

"I suppose that would be a useful combination for a Trap deck, but I am not very impressed," Katrina said. "I summon Cat-Mimic King (0/0) and attack with Cat Ear Tribe."

Kai snarled in fury at the kittens that clawed his legs with playful mews.

Katrina: 8000

Kai: 7100

"Your turn," Katrina said.

"Wow, she's got guts to be playing a monster with zero attack in attack mode," Neo said.

"Either that, or she has a trap ready," Draken said. "Guess we'll see soon enough."

"I drew Cyber Shadow Guardna," Kai stated.

"Keep it," Katrina responded.

"I activate Recycle to place Avatar of Apophis at the bottom of my deck, and Shotgun Shuffle to shuffle it!" Kai did so.

Katrina: 8000

Kai: 6500

"Now I'll destroy your pathetic kittens! I play Lightning Vortex, discarding Cyber Shadow Guardna to destroy all face-up monsters on your field!" Kai said.

Katrina watched both of her monsters perish, and said, "Fair enough. My turn."

"What are you talking about? I didn't say I ended!" Kai protested.

"When you destroy Cat-Mimic King with a magic, trap, or monster effect, your turn automatically ends," Katrina explained. "I summon Skull Dog Maron (1350/2000) and attack directly!"

Still in disbelief at what was happening, Kai was pulled out of his shock by a painful bite from the Skull Dog Maron.

Katrina: 8000

Kai: 5100

"I can't figure out what her theme is," Hope said. "Animal and Animal Warrior cards?"

"Just keep watching," Max advised.

"Your turn," Katrina said.

"I draw Artemis of Harvest," Kai reluctantly said.

"I don't have a problem with that," Katrina stated.

"Then I summon her (1600/1700) and attack!" Kai declared.

"I activate my trap card, Cattle Mutilation!" Katrina countered. "It allows me to take an Animal Sub-Type from my field and place it into my hand while replacing it with another Animal Sub-Type of the same level from my hand. I switch Skull Dog Maron with Mad Dog of Darkness!" (1900/1400)

"D-damn it… I halt the attack and end…" Kai said. It was obvious that he was highly nervous now.

"You ought to enjoy this play," Katrina said. "I summon Rescue Cat! (300/100) Her effect allows me to sacrifice her to special summon two level three or lower Animal Sub-Types from my deck. I do so to bring out Matatabi Cat (0/500) and Guard Dog! (1500/500) Normally, the two monsters I bring out would be destroyed at the end of my turn, but I'll get around that by playing Forced Ejection Machine! This returns Matatabi Cat to my hand. I lay a card down and attack Artemis with Mad Dog of Darkness! Guard Dog attacks directly!"

While not as humiliating as being assaulted by the kittens, the dogs were far more painful. They clawed and bit Kai without mercy.

Katrina: 8000

Kai: 3300

"I end my turn," Katrina said, and her Guard Dog vanished.

"I'm still not getting it," Rue complained. "Could you just tell us her theme already, Max?"

"I believe I know," Will interjected. "Although it is perhaps one of the oddest ones I have seen. Notice how the only monsters she have been using are cats and dogs?"

"You've got to be kidding," Miles said. "A Cats and Dogs deck? How the heck does that work?"

"I would say it works well, considering that she is completely tearing apart Kai," Will said dryly.

"He brings up a good point," Hope remarked.

Eyes flashing, Kai drew, and said, "I got Magic Drain."

Katrina frowned slightly. "Return that to the bottom of your deck and draw again."

"Fine. I play Emergency Rations, which allows me to send a magic or trap card on my field to the Cemetery for 1000 Life Points," Kai said. "I get rid of Recycle to do that."

Katrina: 8000

Kai: 4300

"I lay a card down and end," Kai concluded.

"I set a monster, lay a card down, and attack with Mad Dog of Darkness!" Katrina said.

"Not this time!" Kai said, flipping over his card. "I activate Metal Reflect Slime! This gives me a monster in defense mode, one you can't hope to get past!" (0/3000)

"For now, you are correct," Katrina admitted. "I call off the attack and end my turn."

"I've drawn… Destruction Ring…" Kai said, glaring at Katrina.

"As you have probably guessed, I will have you place that at the bottom of your deck," Katrina said.

"That won't matter! I summon Death Gremlin (1600/1800) and attack your defense monster!" Kai said.

Katrina considered that, and said, "May as well use this now. I activate Magic Cylinder to negate your attack and deal damage to you equal to your monster's attack."

"Hah! I have you now!" Kai said triumphantly. "I counter that with Trap Jammer! When in the battle phase, I can negate and destroy your trap! This also allows me to special summon Dark King Dragon Vandalgion! (2800/2500) Since he was special summoned due to negating a trap, I get to destroy one card on your field. I choose your remaining magic or trap card!"

"And I chain it," Katrina said calmly. "It is my Emissary of Harmony. You will do no damage to me for this turn."

"To hell with it, I attack anyway!" Kai snarled. "Reveal your monster!"

"Matatabi Cat is flipped over," Katrina said. "Done?"

"For now," Kai said reluctantly.

"Then allow me to destroy your Vandalgion," Katrina said. "I activate Matatabi's effect on him. Once per turn, I can choose a monster on your field and reduce its defense to zero. (2800/0) After that, I play Enemy Controller! This allows me to switch the position of a monster on your field, so I switch Vandalgion to defense mode! Finally, I sacrifice Matatabi Cat for Flame Kerberos! (2100/1800) Mad Dog of Darkness attacks Vandalgion, and Flame Kerberos attacks Death Gremlin!"

The three-headed dog ripped the Death Gremlin to shreds, inflicting damage on Kai as they did so. Yet it was the loss of his Vandalgion that hurt far more deeply to the doomed duelist.

Katrina: 8000

Kai: 3800

"Your strongest monster has fallen," Katrina stated. "You will not be able to recover from that."

"Silence!" Kai snapped, drawing. "I… I drew… The Coward's Way…"

"What a fitting card for you to use," Katrina remarked. "You may keep it, so that you know why it is that you lost so terribly." Coolly matching his murderous glare, she said, "I assume you cannot do anything? In that case, I play Cyclone on Metal Reflect Slime, destroying him. Mad Dog of Darkness attacks, and Flame Kerberos finishes you!"

Kai's scream of outrage was drowned out by the barking and howling of the dogs, who attacked him gleefully.

Katrina: 8000

Kai: 0

"That has to be a horrible way to lose," Mana said, snickering.

"Wow… you were completely right," Draken said to Max. "She is one darn good duelist."

"No… I can't lose… not like this!" Kai shouted.

Katrina stepped forward, Bast yowling at Kai from her arms. "It's over for you, Kai. No longer will you threaten this world with your twisted ideals. Now will you surrender? It is not too late to earn some dignity."

"I refuse!" Kai retorted, pushing a button on his Duel Disk. He logged out instantly.

"That cheater!" Rue snarled.

Katrina did not appear surprised by this action. She took out a cell phone from her pocket and hit a button on it. "Captain Roman, the target has left Teknisk Wereld. Please try to take him alive."

…

"Roger. We're going in." Captain Lapis Roman pressed the end button and slid her cell phone away. "It looks like we are needed after all, Helmer. Ready?"

"Of course, Captain." Helmer brought out his pistol, as did Lapis, and he opened the door they stood in front of. Once they were sure the coast was clear, they darted inside, closing it to prevent Kai from slipping out easily.

They had figured out that Kai had been using this warehouse as a hideout, and once they saw the interior, it became clear as to why he had chosen it. Clearly the place had been abandoned for several years, judging by the layers of dust and the grime that covered the windows, throwing everything into shadow. It was a huge area, and other than the ground area that had many abandoned boxes against the walls, there was a steel catwalk with the stairs leading to it towards the back.

None of these were what they were focused on though. The man in front of them had their full attention. Kai froze at seeing them enter, and then bolted towards the back.

"Cut him off!" Lapis ordered as she ran after him. Helmer attempted to do so, but was a few seconds too slow. By the time they reached the shadowy area near the stairs of the catwalk, there was no sign of him.

"What now?" Helmer asked, looking around warily.

"You take the stairs," Lapis said. "I'll check the ground level."

"Got it." Helmer swiftly ascended the stairs as Lapis began to examine the bottom area.

For a minute, there was nothing to be heard but the sound of her own breathing and her quiet footsteps. That abruptly changed when she suddenly felt cold metal at the base of her neck.

"One pull of this trigger and you die," she heard Kai say softly from behind her. "How does it feel, to be at the mercy of a murderer? A complete opposite from normal, wouldn't you agree?"

Lapis kept her gaze ahead as she calmly said, "Indeed I have killed. But my killings are to save the lives of others. Yours are made from malice and hatred. Slay me if you must. I am willing to die on the line of duty."

"You damned official!" Kai snarled, but that was all he was able to say before a gunshot rang through the air. Lapis felt the metal fall away from her neck, and a thud from behind her. She turned, and without looking at the bleeding wound from Kai's head, pulled his Soul Card from his pocket and tore it. An agonized screech came from a nearby wall, and then the Soul Monster was gone, vanquished with his master.

"Good shot, Helmer!" Lapis called up to him.

Helmer saluted with his pistol from on top of the catwalk. "Thank you, Captain." He descended from it and walked towards her. "Well, we tried."

"She will understand that there was no way to take him alive," Lapis replied, pulling out her cell phone. "Better that he be dead than leaving him to plague others."

"Agreed," Helmer said, falling silent as she began to speak into the phone.

…

"So, Kai is dead. I suppose it cannot be helped. Good work. Remove his corpse and wait for my return at the official headquarters." Katrina hung up. "I assume you all heard what I just said?"

"Yes," Will answered. "That means all of the Judges threatening Teknisk Wereld are gone?"

"Correct. Which means we can cover a few more important matters now." She turned to Max, who had an expression on his face that suggested he wished he would die, and walked towards him. The group instantly parted to allow her through. With another glare, she kicked Max in the shin, causing him to fall to the ground with a yelp.

"You complete imbecile!" Katrina scolded, with Bast making a noise that sounded like snickering. "Why didn't you contact me when you found Angela? I told you to inform me if you ever found the Guardian, but apparently you decided my orders were not important enough to remember!"

"That isn't it at all!" Max protested feebly. "It just… slipped my mind…"

"In other words, you forget, which means it was not important enough to remember!" Katrina pointed out. "My cat is a better informant than you are, and Soul Monster or not, that is not something you want me putting in your file!"

"I'm not following this at all," Rue said. "Is Max an official too?"

"Yes, he is," Katrina said. "Max came looking for a job, and when I saw him, I recognized his talents from what I had heard about your group. I requested he be my personal… servant, of sorts. He objected at first, saying he wanted a different job, so I dueled him."

"Needless to say, she whipped me," Max said sheepishly, rising. "So I agreed."

"Zack and I knew," Larka added. "We saw Max giving Katrina a report one day at work. He asked us to keep quiet about it though. Sorry."

"It's all right," Hope said. "We would have found out sooner or later."

"You could have at least told me, Max," Brandi shot towards him.

"Secrets are secrets," Max muttered.

Katrina abruptly turned towards the other door in the room. "Enough on that though. We have wasted enough time as is. Angela is still here, and it is safe to assume my grandfather is with her. I do not know how he will react, but I must try to stop him from killing Angela, and from destroying Teknisk Wereld."

"Definitely," Draken said. "We're all ready whenever you are."

"Then the time is now." Katrina went to the door and flung it open.

To be continued…


	30. Genesis

Last chapter of the arc! Wow, hard to believe it's finally here. Enjoy!

**Chapter Thirty: Genesis**

The room was empty. To any ordinary person, this would be odd, and that person would probably only be able to stay so long before growing impatient and leaving. However, Angela was not an ordinary person. She stood in the center of the room, staring blankly at the stained glass windows ahead of her. Waiting, waiting, waiting to fulfill her purpose. Once the person behind all of this emerged, she would do what she had been created to do. Never did she consider how ironic the situation was. The only thing in her mind was her duty.

Finally, a man appeared in front of her. He wore a long, brown jacket over his dark brown suit, giving him an appearance like one might expect from a professor. His gray hair and beard gave away his age, which an estimate of sixty would not be far off of. Katrina's eye color had surely been inherited by this man, for they were the same light blue beneath the wire glasses he wore.

"Sarov Yggdrasill," Angela said flatly.

Sarov's expression, which had originally been stern, softened at seeing her. "The core of Teknisk Wereld, the Guardian, Angela… all of these names you go under. Which would you prefer I call you?"

"Your question is illogical," Angela stated. "As my creator, you should have the knowledge of which name I go under while amongst humans. However, if you require this information once more, the answer is Angela."

This response caused Sarov to sigh. "She really is lost… I knew, yet I kept foolishly hoping…" He took out a card and held it up. "Angela, this is a magic card called Thunderbolt. I am well aware that support cards usually will not work on you, but this one is special, like the Receding Circuit Kai used. Its power is far higher than most Thunderbolts, and it will affect your data. One hit will surely delete you. What is your reaction to that?"

"My protocol has self-survival as its highest priority," Angela said. "I will not allow you to use it."

Sarov nodded. "That is what I thought you would say. Yet what if you cannot stop me? You still have the instinct to protect me, and the instinct to save yourself. I am aware of which is supposed to be higher, yet will it remain that way?" He hesitated, and then moved his hand towards his Duel Disk.

The sound of the door flying open caused him to halt, his hand frozen. Katrina came into the room swiftly, saying, "Grandfather!"

"Katrina… why are you here?" Sarov said, his voice a mixture of surprise, disappointment, and… relief?

"To stop you from destroying this world," Katrina said. "And from killing someone we care about."

"Angela!" Larka went next to her, looking over her. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"No," Angela answered.

The rest of the group had entered by then. Brandi glanced at Sarov, saying, "So, is that…?"

"Sarov Yggdrasill, I assume," Zack responded.

"Good." Before anyone could ask what Hope meant by that, she went forward, glaring at Sarov. "Sarov Yggdrasill, my name is Hope Gales. You should recognize it."

"I do," Sarov confirmed.

"Then answer this," Hope said, her temper flaring. "Why have you done all of this? You banished us from this world, separated each of us from the rest of our friends and loved ones, and have tried to have Judges kill us when we finally returned! You caused innocents to fall into comas, ones they might never awaken from, for the sake of your ambitions! You tried to kill the Guardian you created for the world you made it possible for others to enter, yet you seem to think this is _justified!_ Sarov Yggdrasill, I want an explanation, and I want it _NOW!_"

Even Katrina seemed surprised at Hope's outburst. Sarov's expression was now one of extreme guilt, and he had visibly flinched at the end of her rant. He did not respond at first, which gave Will enough time to mutter, "That was another vision I had."

Finally, Sarov said, "The real world is a cruel one to live in. My wife died from a disease shortly after giving birth to our third child. Two daughters and a son… yet I lost both of my daughters to this wretched world that I created… a world no better than the one we live in now. Perhaps it is even worse, for we come to Teknisk Wereld to escape the horrors found in real life. This is no sanctuary, as I had once hoped. Instead, it deceives us, lures a false sense of safety, and then lashes out. It must be deleted, before others fall victim to it."

"But by destroying it, you're killing people!" Hope protested. "And it's no different than real life! Both have their dangers, both have their methods of ending lives, so why should one be destroyed while the other goes on? We're already part of this world; we can't just end its existence!"

"Have you ever lost a loved one to Teknisk Wereld?" Sarov asked.

"…No… but several times, I nearly have," Hope answered. "Nor have I lost anyone in real life. I'm not biased one way or another in that matter, so don't try to use that excuse. My points still stand! You can't just say that people dying justifies killing others, along with an entire world!"

"You would have the ones who died lose their lives in vain?" Sarov said. "We can learn from them that this world should vanish before any others die!"

"No!" Hope retorted. "We can learn from them, but not the lesson you are suggesting! Some of the victims were from errors in Teknisk Wereld, ones that were fixed afterwards. Others, like the Black Snake Sickness, were human creations. As long as our race exists, incidents such as that will always occur, one way or another. You can't place that much blame on Teknisk Wereld!"

Sarov let out a long and weary sigh. "Our view points will never match. It is enough to convince me that we should use a different method for deciding the outcome of this." He turned his gaze to Angela. "Angela, I challenge you to a duel. If you win, I will stop this deletion, and will not harm you. If you lose, I have full right to continue, ending your life in the process. Do you accept?"

"Yes," Angela said.

"Angela!" Larka said. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes. It is the reason I exist," Angela stated, not even looking at her. "Please stand aside. We must begin."

Larka did so, eyes reflecting her worry. Katrina took the opportunity to say, "I have not seen you for the past seven years, yet you look no different than I remembered. While it is true that you could not have… hm… I am not sure how to say it. I suppose I simply expected to see you in a different light, as I do with many things as compared to my childhood years. Do you recognize me, Angela?"

"Katrina Bifrost," Angela recited. "Granddaughter of the creator and the original substitute until replaced by Larka Luna."

"So you see me as merely a name, and not a person," Katrina said.

"I see you as a person I have been ordered to protect," Angela responded. "Nothing more."

"And that is how it should be…" Katrina muttered, her grasp on Bast tightening. Bast meowed in annoyance at the rough handling, but did not react otherwise.

Sarov appeared to be about to say something to Katrina, but stopped, instead bringing out a Soul Card. A humanoid monster wearing orange armor appeared. He carried a curved sword in his left hand, had a red cape, and his entire head was concealed by an orange helmet. Sarov said, "This is Deus, an Avatar of the Creator. I am aware you do not have a Soul Monster, Angela. Are you ready to begin?"

Angela held out her arm, causing the Duel Disk to form on it. "Yes."

"Looks like the fate of Teknisk Wereld is in Angela's hands now," Draken said.

"Fitting, seeing as she's the Guardian," Will stated. "One would think she would be the best person to duel for the sake of it."

"I am concerned for her sake as well," Zack said. "Hopefully she will come through this unharmed."

"Yes… that is exactly what I wanted to say…" Larka agreed.

"There is little we can do but watch, and support her," Max stated.

"So let's do that," Hope said. The group members nodded, turning to watch the duel.

Angela: 8000

Sarov: 8000

"If you wish to go first, I will allow you to," Sarov offered.

"I accept. I place a monster face-down and one card," Angela stated. "Turn over."

"It seems I will get the first attack," Sarov said. "I summon Maniac Zombie (1600/400) and attack your defense monster."

"Your attack is equal to Flame Ruler's defense." (1500/1600)

"Then I lay two cards down and end my turn," Sarov decided.

"That's a weird card to use," Miles said. "Does it have an effect?"

"Yeah. When special summoned from the Cemetery, its controller draws a card," Max said.

"Really? Katrina, what kind of deck does your grandfather use?" Brandi asked.

"You will see shortly," Katrina answered.

Angela proceeded to take her turn. "I sacrifice Flame Ruler for Phoenix God of Nefutisu." (2400/1600)

"I am well aware of what your Phoenix can do," Sarov said. "But I will still stop it by using my trap card, Ascending Horn! By sacrificing a monster on my field, I negate a summon or special summon and destroy the monster. I will sacrifice Maniac Zombie to do that to your Phoenix!"

"Turn over," Angela stated.

"With your main monster out of the way, I have little fear in showing mine," Sarov said. "I summon Avatar of the Creator. (1600/1500) His effect allows me to sacrifice him to special summon The Creator from my hand. I do so!" (2300/3000)

The huge being that appeared left the spectators in no doubt of what his deck theme oriented around. It wore orange armor over its entire body, had two folded wing-like objects on its back, and a large ring behind its head. Its face was cast in shadow by its helmet, which had a blue jewel in its center.

"The Creator…" Will said. "I have heard of this monster, although I have never seen it."

"Three guesses at why he uses it," Miles said sarcastically.

"Now I will use The Creator's effect!" Sarov continued. "Once per turn, he allows me to discard a card to special summon a monster from my Cemetery. I discard Kaiser Seahorse to revive Avatar of the Creator! I order my two monsters to attack!"

"Protective measures activated," Angela said. "Emissary of Harmony reduces all damage to zero."

"I have nothing else to do," Sarov said.

"Phoenix God of Nefutisu returns, destroying all magic and trap cards on the field," Angela said. The Phoenix's fire instantly burned away the only one.

"You destroyed my Holy Barrier-Mirror Force," Sarov said.

"I summon Sonic Shooter. (1300/600) When the opponent has no magic or trap cards, Sonic Shooter may attack directly," Angela stated. "Phoenix God of Nefutisu attacks The Creator, and Sonic Shooter attacks directly."

Of all the holographic battles the group had seen, this was easily one of the most impressive. They watched the Phoenix reduce The Creator to ashes in awe.

Angela: 8000

Sarov: 6600

"I place a card. Turn over," Angela said.

"I play a magic card, Rebirth of the Dead!" Sarov said. "By discarding a card, I can place a monster in the Cemetery into my hand. I discard Spiral Dragon to take back The Creator! I sacrifice Avatar of the Creator to special summon The Creator! This also means that Deus' Deck Master ability activates. When the monster I special summoned through The Creator's effect leaves the field, I return the card I discarded to my hand. I get back Kaiser Seahorse and discard it to revive Spiral Dragon! (2900/2900) Spiral Dragon attacks your Phoenix, and The Creator attacks Sonic Shooter!"

The Spiral Dragon's massive tidal wave overwhelmed the blazing Phoenix at once. It gave a dying shriek before vanishing, leaving the Sonic Shooter to meet its fate through one of The Creator's thunderbolts.

Angela: 6500

Sarov: 6600

"I'm done," Sarov said.

"I activate Iron Cage of Nightmares. No attacks may be made for two turns," Angela said. "I place a monster in face-down defense mode. Turn over."

"There is little I can do with your Iron Cage up," Sarov stated, glancing at the bars. "I play a permanent magic card, Reward of Rebirth. When I special summon a monster from my Cemetery to my field, I draw a card. I will also switch The Creator to defense mode. That is all."

"I place a monster in face-down defense mode. Turn over," Angela said.

"At least I can do something somewhat productive now," Sarov said. "I summon Initiate Troops. (1000/1000) By sacrificing them, I can destroy one of your monsters. I choose the one you just set!"

"Tornado Bird is destroyed." (1100/1100)

"Then I am done."

"On my standby phase, the Iron Cage of Nightmares is destroyed." Angela waited for the bars to burst apart before saying, "I summon Birdman (1800/600) and place a card down. Turn over."

"Now is my chance to strike," Sarov said. "I discard Declaration of God to revive Initiate Troops, and draw a card from Reward of Rebirth. Then I sacrifice my Initiate Troops to kill your defense monster!"

"Burning Bird." (1000/800)

"I get back Declaration of God and attack Birdman with Spiral Dragon!" Sarov announced.

"Countermeasures activated. I use God Bird Attack," Angela said. "I sacrifice Birdman to destroy two cards on your field. I choose The Creator and Spiral Dragon."

"So that was why you played him in attack mode…" Sarov muttered. "I get back Kasier Seahorse and lay a card down. Your turn."

"I activate Early Burial to special summon Phoenix God of Nefutisu," Angela said. "Phoenix God of Nefutisu attacks directly."

Sarov held his arms up in a useless attempt to shield himself from the flames. When they cleared, it was apparent that he was shaken by their power.

Angela: 4700

Sarov: 4200

Angela did not react to his expression. "I place a card down. Turn over."

"Grandfather, don't you see that you cannot win?" Katrina said. "You still care about this world, and about Angela. You won't be able to bring yourself to do it. Angela has nothing holding her back."

"I… I cannot give up…" Sarov forced himself to say. "I activate Cry of the Living Dead on Avatar of the Creator, drawing a card from Reward of Rebirth. Then I sacrifice him to special summon The Creator from my hand."

"Why didn't he just revive The Creator? You know, the one in his Cemetery?" Rue asked.

"The Creator cannot be revived when in the Cemetery," Will explained. "I remember that much at least."

"I discard Kaiser Seahorse for Initiate Troops, which I sacrifice to destroy your Phoenix!" Sarov said. "I get back Kaiser Seahorse and attack with The Creator!"

The bolt that crashed down on Angela did not even cause her to sway. She kept her gaze on Sarov, disregarding her decreasing Life Points.  
Angela: 2400

Sarov: 4200

"Take your turn," Sarov ended.

"That was not a very smart move," Max remarked.

"What do you mean?" Neo asked.

"He could have revived Spiral Dragon and attacked," Max explained. "But he chose Initiate Troops instead, which means Phoenix will revive this turn."

"I know my grandfather well," Katrina said grimly. "He is in a terrible state of mind. This is probably not the first mistake he has made."

"Good to hear," Miles said. "We need all the help we can get!"

"Considering how well he duels in a poor mindset, I would hate to see him in top condition," Gaston said.

"You have a point," Mana said, shivering.

"Phoenix God of Nefutisu returns." The Phoenix flapped its wings, sending a wave of fire to destroy Reward of Rebirth. "Phoenix God of Nefutisu attacks The Creator. I place one card down. Turn over."

Angela: 2400

Sarov: 4100

"I am not done yet!" Sarov said. "I play Early Burial to revive Spiral Dragon! He attacks your Phoenix!"

"Protective measures activated. Emissary of Harmony reduces all damage to zero," Angela said, repeating her earlier phrase.

"Then… I lay two cards down, and end my turn," Sarov said.

Angela: 2400

Sarov: 3300

"On my draw phrase, I activate Destroying Ring," Angela stated. "I use it to destroy Phoenix God of Nefutisu and cause us each to lose 1000 Life Points."

"That would mean your Phoenix would return, and destroy all of my magic and trap cards, including Early Burial," Sarov realized. "I won't let that happen! I activate Declaration of God, paying half of my total Life Points to negate and destroy your trap!"

Angela: 2400

Sarov: 1650

"Wow, that's a pretty steep cost," Miles said.

"It can negate a magic card, trap card, or monster summon," Max told him. "It isn't just traps."

Miles nodded. "Ah, then I guess it makes sense."

"I activate Force," Angela continued. "Half of Spiral Dragon's attack power is absorbed by Phoenix God of Nefutisu."

"I'll stop that with Magic Jammer!" Sarov countered. "I discard Kaiser Seahorse to negate and destroy your magic card!"

"Dang, he just countered her twice!" Rue exclaimed.

"They say third time's the charm," Draken said. "Let's see if that last card in her hand will do it."

Draken turned out to be right, for Angela said, "I activate Hammer Shoot. The monster on the field with the highest attack is destroyed."

"No… it's over…" Sarov moaned, watching his Spiral Dragon get crushed into the ground with a gigantic hammer.

"Is it wrong that I want to laugh at this?" Neo asked Mana.

"Nope. Not one bit," Mana answered.

"Phoenix God of Nefutisu attacks directly," Angela said.

With a screech that froze their hearts, the Phoenix produced a final fire burst, annihilating Sarov's remaining Life Points.

Angela: 2400

Sarov: 0

"I… have lost," Sarov reluctantly said. "And I will keep my word. Angela, please come here."

Angela's Duel Disk vanished as she walked towards him. Before she could get more than a few feet forward, Katrina went next to her, going with her.

"Katrina?" Sarov said.

"I am ensuring you do not break your vow," Katrina stated. "As I know you will not hurt me."

"If that is how you wish it to be." Sarov waited until they had come to his side, and then said to the group, "No longer may I try to delete Teknisk Wereld. However, others will try. I cannot aid those people in destroying it, but… they will have a much easier time if Teknisk Wereld's top defenders are gone."

Hope eyed him suspiciously. "What are you saying?"

"I am saying… that to ensure Teknisk Wereld will eventually end, you and your friends must die!" Sarov said, his hand going to his Duel Disk.

"Grandfather, no!" Katrina cried, grabbing his arm. But she was too late, for the card had already been inserted.

A crash of thunder was heard outside the temple, and before any of them could react, a lightning bolt tore though the ceiling, descending towards them in a glorious blaze, one that would be their final sight…

…If not for the one that leapt in the way, taking the entire force of the blast.

All of their eyes were on Angela in numb disbelief as they saw the electricity do its fatal work. Yet even with her life being destroyed, her hair extended, forming a dome around the group. Pieces of the ceiling were deflected by it, sparing them from any harm. None noticed this; they could not tear away from the gruesome sight of the Thunderbolt hitting Angela.

Then the dome dissolved, the hair becoming wisps that vanished as she fell, fell slowly, so slowly… more slowly than could be possible…

"ANGELA!" Larka lunged towards her, and barely managed to catch her before landing on the floor. Ignoring the pain of the collision, Larka desperately said, "Answer me, Angela! Please, answer me!"

Everyone else rushed to them, but halted a short distance away. Angela's state took their breath away. Her body was completely blackened, with only her vivid yellow eyes remaining the same. They gazed ahead blankly as Angela said, "Error… I have gone against protocol and disobeyed my orders. Vitality decreasing… demise estimated in three minutes, fifty-two seconds…"

"Impossible…" Sarov whispered, his face pale. "Angela overrode her most important protocol… and sacrificed herself… to save these people. That's… impossible…"

Larka looked up at him, tears flowing. "You have to help her! If you were able to hurt her, you can heal her too, right? Please, help her!"

Sarov stared at her silently, and then shook his head.

"No! I… I was too late…"

They looked towards the door to see a man standing there, one clad in a white robe with golden symbols stitched on. Under his arm was a copy of the Bible, and a golden cross hung around his neck. His gray hair made him appear old, yet he could not have been beyond his forties, and his pale blue eyes were clouded with sorrow. On his left shoulder sat a white owl that had a crown on its head.

"That owl…" Gaston said softly. "Could it be that…?"

Hope's gasp cut him off. "You're that priest!"

"Uncle Joseph!" Katrina said, eyes wide. "Why are you here?"

"I knew what would happen, but I was too late…" Joseph walked towards where Larka knelt, gazing at Angela. "She… probably cannot hear me now, but… Rose… I am so sorry…" He trailed off, putting his hands over his face.

"Grandfather!" Katrina said insistently.

"It's no use…" Sarov responded. "I cannot help her. I only made two cards that would affect her. One was Receding Circuit, and the other was Thunderbolt. It would take too long to make a healing card that would work on her data…"

"No!" Larka sobbed. "She can't die! Not now… not after she finally realized she _is_ human…"

"This brings two great sorrows," Katrina said in a wavering voice. "The death of a person I love, and the death of a world that means just as much to me."

Zack looked at his mechanical arm before saying, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Everyone turned to him in surprise, Sarov saying, "What do you mean?"

"If Angela is made of a certain type of data, I may be able to absorb the part that keeps Teknisk Wereld alive," Zack said. "There is… nothing… I can do to help Angela. But doing this would save Teknisk Wereld, and those who would die if it were to fall."

"Really?" Larka looked towards Angela. "What do you think, Angela?"

"Do it," Angela responded at once. "My duty is to protect Teknisk Wereld. This gives the greatest probability of its survival."

"Then you'd best go for it," Max said.

"Right." Zack knelt on Angela's other side and put his left, metal hand to her forehead. "Angela… this will probably hurt you severely, and I doubt you will be able to live on afterwards. If you are prepared for that, I will begin."

"I am prepared," Angela stated.

"Then… all I can say is… goodbye." Zack closed his eyes, concentrating. A purple light began to emerge from Angela's forehead and was absorbed into his hand. She did not react, hiding any agony she was feeling.

The ones watching were stunned to see Angela's body begin to disintegrate, starting from her feet and going up her body. Larka continued to hold on to her as she started to vanish, trying to provide comfort to the best of her ability.

Angela's eyes slowly shifted her, and she said, "Larka… something is not right. I should not have emotions… yet… I think I am… afraid."

This brought another wave of tears to Larka's eyes. She let them fall freely as she said, "Of disappearing? Of being alone forever? I know of that fear… all too well. But you don't have to feel it, because… I know we'll find each other again. Even if it is in an afterlife… I'll find you there. I… promise I will…"

Angela's blank gaze, the one Larka was so used to, finally changed. She thought she saw hope in those eyes before she was gone, leaving nothing behind. The hair binding Larka and Max's injuries fell away, vanishing as well.

"Angela…" Larka's voice gave out on her as she succumbed to her tears. Nobody but Zack was able to react. He embraced her, allowing her to cry into his shoulder. As if lamenting with his master, Malon raised his head and howled mournfully.

Will turned to Sarov and Katrina. "I know this is affecting us deeply, but if we are to save Teknisk Wereld, I assume we have to move fast."

Katrina slowly nodded. "Once the Guardian is destroyed, we have exactly an hour before Teknisk Wereld is permanently deleted. This was an emergency measure set to give people time to evacuate in case something happened."

"Zack, you must come to the official headquarters at once to transfer the data," Sarov said with a newfound determination. "Can you make it in time?"

"If someone is willing to drive," Zack said.

"I'll do it! I can get us there quickly," Brandi volunteered.

"Unfortunately, I think that will be our best choice," Max muttered.

"What about the rest of us? We're not close enough to go there!" Rue said.

"Even I would probably not be able to make it in time," Will stated.

"Max, Brandi, Larka, Zack, and I will go," Hope said. "Everyone else should log out, in case this doesn't work. We'll contact you once everything is done and say how it went."

"That sounds like the best thing to do," Draken agreed.

"I do not like it, but I suppose we have no choice," Kazel said.

"Good luck," Kisara whispered.

"Thanks. We'll probably need it," Gaston said.

Everyone in the temple reluctantly logged out, except for Larka and Zack.

"Come on," Zack said gently. "We have to go."

"I-I know…" Larka said, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. "I'll… mourn later."

"…And I will join you in that mourning," Zack promised.

His words helped Larka move. She logged out, and Zack went after her.

…

"Let's go!" Hope said, wrenching off her Envoyant Machine and Duel Disk as she leapt up.

"I'll start the car, you two meet up with Larka and Zack!" Brandi called, running towards the car. "Mana, you're going to have to get in your Soul Card, or we won't have enough room."

"Aw man!" they heard her respond, along with the front door swinging open.

"What is going on?" Hime asked, blinking as Hope and Max rushed by her.

"No time to explain!" Hope replied, bringing out her Soul Card. "Gaston, I'll tell you about it later!"

"Got it!" Gaston said, entering it. Tenma also left, and they went outside.

"There they are!" Hope said, indicating to a door that Zack and Larka were coming out of.

"This way!" Max said, leading them to the car. Brandi had already started it, and once Max had gotten in the front seat, with the other three in the back, they drove off.

Despite Brandi's reckless speed, Larka was quiet for the entire trip, her arms locked around Malon for comfort. He would occasionally give a sad whine and lick her arm. Only Max and Brandi spoke otherwise. Max gave directions as they drove to the official headquarters, and Brandi tended to swear softly when nearly crashing into some cars that appeared abruptly from side roads.

They finally arrived in front of the building, with a parking spot next to the door empty. Considering it was completely full otherwise, someone had apparently taken the precautions to clear a space for them. The car screeched to a halt, and they leapt out, running for the doors.

The only person in the lobby was a female red-haired secretary, who stood up at their entrance. "Five of you? Then you must be the group Miss Katrina was waiting for. Please go to the top floor immediately!"

"Thanks!" Hope said as they sped towards the elevator they saw her indicating to.

One short elevator ride later, they were on the top floor and facing a hallway that ended in a door. Ignoring the staircase leading down that was near the elevator, they went to the door, and Hope flung it open.

Katrina, with Bast in her lap, was sitting at a computer that was hooked to a large, black machine. She glanced back and said, "Zack, come over here, quickly!"

He did so, and she indicated to a screen on the machine. "Place your hand on that and transfer the data."

"All right." Zack did as she instructed, and the same purple light from before began to enter the machine. When it was gone, Zack stumbled back, looking exhausted.

"Are you okay?" Larka asked worriedly.

"Yes, just a bit tired," Zack assured.

Katrina hurriedly typed at her computer, leaving everyone to tensely wait. After what seemed like ages, she finally let her hands fall with a sigh of relief. "Teknisk Wereld is now stable. Congratulations, you've just saved a world from deletion."

"Thank everything," Hope said, relaxing at last.

"I feel like I should be happy at that, yet… it came at such a cost…" Brandi said quietly.

Silence met this statement, until broken by the door opening.

"How is it?" Sarov asked, entering. Joseph came after him, with his owl still perched on his shoulder.

"Fine now. The deleted area has been restored," Katrina said.

Sarov nodded. "I used to want Teknisk Wereld to be deleted, but… I am glad that it was not."

Hope looked at Joseph's owl. "Have you been watching over us too?"

"Many times, yes." Joseph held out his hand, allowing the owl to fly down onto it. "This is Thoth, my Soul Monster. He is The Owl That Brings Happiness."

Thoth hooted softly, bobbing his head towards the group and then returning to Joseph's shoulder.

"You called Angela 'Rose'," Max said. "Why did you do that?"

Sarov and Joseph glanced at each other and nodded before Joseph responded. "I am the oldest of Sarov's children, and his only son. My older sister, Katrina's mother, was Annice. My younger sister… was Roseangela."

"W-what? How…?" Larka trailed off, letting Joseph continue.

"Rose, as we called her, was a frail child from birth. She was confined to a hospital bed at all times, never allowed to leave for fear of her life. Annice and I always visited her, as did our father. Our mother had died shortly after giving birth to her." Joseph paused, and then slowly said, "She only managed to survive until she was six. She was… amazingly intelligent for her age, and knew of what our father had been working on. He wanted to have a world where Rose could live like any of us, one that she could enter while leaving her real body in a safe location. However, he had nothing to serve as a core for this world. He found a way, but it would require a person's soul. Rose volunteered hers. Father refused completely, until she said that she did not want to die without knowing what it felt like to be part of the outside world. These words affected all of us deeply, and… Father agreed to it."

"But when I inserted her soul, I found her to be someone incapable of feeling emotions," Sarov said. "I could not bear to look at this mockery of my daughter. I changed her appearance drastically, so that she would not remind me of Rose, and changed her human name to Angela." Sarov broke off, and said in a trembling voice, "When she sacrificed herself… to save all of you… I realized I had been wrong. Rose was still inside her. It showed me… how foolish I had been…"

Unsure of how to respond to that, Max asked, "How did… Annice die?"

"My mother perished to the Black Snake Sickness," Katrina said without turning from her computer screen. "That is what convinced grandfather to act. The knowledge that his creation had killed so many people, including his own daughter-my mother-was enough to make him take action."

"And how I regret it now," Sarov said wearily.

"…There is little else we can do now," Zack said. "We should tell everyone else of the situation and then rest. After all that is happened, we need it."

"I completely agree," Hope said. She turned to Joseph and said, "By the way, thanks for all that you have done."

Joseph smiled in response. "I am glad that the Lord brought all of us together. It is something to not be taken lightly."

"Well, shall we head back?" Brandi asked, unsure of what Hope and Joseph were talking about.

"Let us," Zack said, Larka merely nodding. They exited the room, shutting the door.

Only Katrina and Bast remained. As Katrina typed, going through the data she had received to stabilize Teknisk Wereld, she suddenly froze and stared at the screen.

"This data… it couldn't be…"

…

"How about Bob?"

"For the love of omelets, Rue, I am NOT naming my kid 'Bob'!" Draken retorted, with Kisara blushing beside him.

"How about Bill?" Rue suggested, grinning.

"How about something that doesn't start with B?" Draken said.

"Satan?"

"What the-get out of here, Mephistopolis!"

"And here I thought I could help," the demon responded sarcastically before retreating, leaving Rue blinking.

"Could you guys discuss that later?" Gaston requested, looking around the hospital waiting room. Luckily, nobody was there to overhear them. "We are all enough on edge as is."

"Aw, and here I was enjoying their debate," Miles said. "Ever since I heard Draken and Kisara were engaged, all those months ago, the first thing I thought was 'Rue is going to have the time of his life picking a name for the kid'. Why else do you think I attended the wedding besides the free cake?"

"For the opportunity to laugh at Draken in a tuxedo? That's why I went," Rue said.

"Oh yeah, good point," Miles remarked.

"Okay, just one more name. Lance," Rue said. "You know, after Lance the Poke'mon trainer that used dragons. It's perfect!"

"When we get out of this hospital, I am going to chase you around the parking lot with Will's book in hand!" Draken threatened. Kisara covered her face with her hands in an attempt to hide how red it was.

Will reached out and smacked Rue over the head with his book, causing him to yelp. "Next time, just ask."

"Wonder who'll be picking the names for Hope and Max's children," Neo joked.

"We're not even married yet!" Hope said awkwardly, looking up from the notebook she was writing in.

"But you will be this week," Darche said. "It took seven months since your return to Teknisk Wereld for Max to propose, but he did it."

Hope turned her gaze back to her paper, saying, "It doesn't feel like it has been seven months…"

"Time flies," Gen said.

"There are several things that have shown how the time has passed," Zack stated. "Larka needed those months to recover, and I am sure this day will help in that process."

"Yes… we must not forget what it cost us to be here today," Hope said softly.

"Oh, I'm so torn with nervousness and excitement!" Mana said, practically jumping in place. "I can't believe Brandi's finally going to be a mother!"

"I just hope the child will be all right," Randall said, holding onto the leash around GaBa. "Lilian said things could go badly."

Hope glanced towards the hallway where Matt, Max, Larka, Abby, and Lilian had disappeared several minutes ago. With the confined space of the hospital room Brandi was in, they could only allow a few people in while she was giving birth.

It was this event, along with the knowledge that Draken and Kisara would soon have their own child, and the upcoming wedding for Hope and Max, that had the group in a high state of excitement. The only exception was Chasity, who sat on a chair between Randall and Ender. She had been in a gloomy state ever since she came out of her coma. Compared to Amy and Claire, who were perfectly fine after their ordeal, this was not a positive sight to see.

"Still depressed?" Ender asked her.

"I don't want you to go," Chasity mumbled. "Nor Mom and Dad. I know you getting surgery is important, but…"

"We won't be gone forever," Ender said. "Just a while. And you'll be fine with Max and Hope."

"Yeah… still…" Chasity trailed off as Lilian came running into the room.

"It's done!" Lilian said happily. "Brandi gave birth to a girl, and she's doing all right!"

"Score!" Rue, Draken, and Miles chorused. Malon gave a victory howl, much to the amusement of all present.

"So, is she looking for suggestions for names?" Rue said mischievously.

"Brandi said that to avoid having you give her any ideas, she would name her child right away," Lilian responded with a laugh. "My brother is terrible with names, so he let her choose it. Brandi chose Courtney."

"Heh… that seems familiar…" Will said to himself.

Hope noticed that despite all the joyful reactions, Zack appeared distracted. She asked him, "What's wrong?"

"Hm? Nothing, really. I am just considering something Katrina said," Zack answered. "She told me she was working on a project, one that would take a long time to complete, but would be worth the wait."

"Really? That's interesting," Hope said.

"Indeed. She even said her grandfather is helping her," Zack added.

Hope blinked. "Then it must not be an official Teknisk Wereld project, right? I thought he wasn't allowed to do those anymore."

"After resigning due to what he had done, he has not partaken in any official projects," Zack confirmed. "So you are right."

"That'll be something to look forward to. It might take a while, but for now…" Hope smiled as she wrote the words 'THE END' at the bottom of her paper. "We have enough to keep us busy."

…

_I am done. That is the first thing I thought at the end of this chapter. At long last, I am done. Never did it seem this day would come, yet it has finally met me._

_But something is wrong with that first thought, because it is not a true statement. While these novels are indeed concluded, it is not the end. Each day brings a new adventure, and we are still here to enjoy those experiences. And when we pass on, our children will continue to live, taking their own journeys into life. _

_It is with this knowledge that I draw this writing to a close. Perhaps it will be viewed as a work of fiction. If so, I will hold no grudges to those who think so. This tale is hard to believe, after all. However, you have my word that everything I wrote is the truth. Should even one person honor me with their belief in this promise, I will feel that this story was certainly worth sharing. _

_As a friend of mine once said, the paths we follow in our lives will split, but they will cross several more times as we travel on. Let us meet again at those intersections, so that we may tell of our journeys through life. We will share stories, ones of yours… and ones of ours. For none of these are mine alone. That honor goes to my friends, for taking the same path I walked._

_Farewell, until that next intersection… until our next meeting…_

_-Hope Driger_

_**THE END**_


	31. Author's Note and Credits

**Author's Note and Credits**

All right! Teknisk Wereld: Judgment is finally complete! But like before, I could not have finished this without much help! And here is where I award credit to where it is due!

Katal Blader: For Rue, Ruecian, Claire, Perseus, and their original decks.

CyberTigerAngel: For Will, Neo, and Will's original deck.

HikotageNoInyou: Sadly, none of Inyou's characters appeared in this arc. He still proof-read all of this though and will definitely not be left out next time. Thanks for pointing out my mistakes!

DarkChiWizard22: Geez, he's done a lot in this arc. Max, Tenma, Brandi, Mana, Randall, GaBa, Matt, Masque, Abby, Hime, Chasity, Petra, Ender, the high-ranking Judges (including Seiryu and Kai), their pasts, their decks, revisions of other decks, and some other ideas for this story that are too numerous to mention are all done by him. He also pointed out several errors in duels (along with a few in grammar), and helped me understand card effects I didn't get. Oh, and now that I think about it, he's the one who made me write this. He said he didn't think I could write serious stories. Look who proved you wrong! -Is shot-

Amy: Amy is my half-sister who lives in Florida, and who I am going to visit for the first time in about two years tomorrow. Whoo!

Julia, Samuel, Toan, and Josh: For being great friends! Oh, and for your love of cows, Toan.

Caleb, ifrit, and Buster Blader: Thanks for doing really lame things in duels for me to comment on! They may be gone, but they went out with a bang!

Epyon: Brottor Khanchuckit and Claude Deschain are two of his Dungeons and Dragons characters that I had to put in for cameos. Thanks for being a loyal reader, and keep an eye out for Sephiroth! As a side note, Wyatt Salazar was Infernal's character, and removed at his request (to avoid plagiarism). Erik Daae belongs to Tim, and Telicis and Kaizier belong to Telicis. (Bet you didn't see that one coming!)

Infernal: Speaking of him, I owe a big thanks. As a fellow author, a very good author at that, it was a high honor to hear him say that I have improved.

Aaron: This is my other Dungeons and Dragons friend who has been reading Teknisk Wereld. Sadly, I met him a bit too late to provide a cameo, but perhaps it'll be possible in the future! Many thanks for sticking with this! (Especially since you haven't dueled in what, years?)

Habado: Hah, I can actually provide credit for something he did this time! Habado was the creator of Heinskitz and Looki, and he translated all of Heinskitz's lines to fit his hilarious accent. Thanks to you too for being a loyal reader!

Dragran: Dragran's love for Kazel inspired a few of the bright moments she and Kisara got. She greatly approves of her devoted fan!

David Clement: This guy wrote a book called The Sight that had two wolves called Fell and Larka, who were brother and sister. Those names were some of my favorites, so I named my two characters after them. I offer thanks for his awesome work! (He also wrote Fire Bringer, which is another good book.)

Whoever created Xenosaga: I based Zack's design off a character from here. (The character was Ziggy, in case you ever play it or something) So thanks to whoever created him, because his design rocks! I also stole Helmer's and Captain Lapis Roman's names from it. They rock.

Whoever created Magi Nation: This obscure game is also perhaps my favorite Gameboy Color game. Alamaru and Kasmaru were based off a duo in there called Korg and Zet, and their personalities were hilarious to parody!

Edo's: His website has every translation I have used, and I am extremely grateful he made it!

DMComet: Since Edo hasn't updated his website in ages, I'm using this one for more recent translations.

Whoever the heck created Yu-Gi-Oh: Obvious!

All of my reviewers: Thanks for the positive remarks, and reading this whole thing! You guys and girls rule!

A few names I would like to mention: John, Captain Obvious, Demon Fan, Des-Vostgalph and YugiFan! Thank you all for reviewing this story! 66 reviews shows that the few people who are reading this cared enough to show it, and that's something to be honored about!

And, last and least, Nokia: For creating the N-Gage for me to bash on! (Although I didn't get the chance to in this story…)

As Hope's ending note suggested, this is not over! The next arc does not have a definite date set, but it will appear sometime after Thanksgiving Break, since I am leaving on a trip to see my father and sister on Tuesday and not getting back until Saturday. Hope to see you all when it comes up!

-Puts up sign that says The End on it-

Kuribo: -Sleeps on top of Mephistopolis' head-

Mephistopolis: It's karma, isn't it... -Sighs-

…Okay, that's it folks!


End file.
